Someone like you
by 0123Hope
Summary: You fall in love, get married, fall in love again, get your heart broken. What if it got broken by a heart surgeon that never came back to fix it? Damon/ Elena - AU/AH
1. They say memories fade away

Thank you Mareike for betaing this chapter.

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><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 1

_'They say memories fade away'_

_Her heart drummed in her chest, sweat drops running down her skin and mingling with the ones on his bare chest. Her body drowned in pleasure as he drove them to the edge, making the tips of her hair the beginning and his toes the end. _

"_You're mine now."_

_Her soul jumped in joy, feeling its other half on the other side of her skin. Her heart started beating more frantically, hearing the voice it had been made to love. Her brown doe eyes locked with the ones of the man above her. _

_And as she stared into the ocean blue eyes above her, she couldn't imagine ever belonging to someone else. _

"_Forever."_

"Mommy?"

Elena's eyes started fluttering, feeling the tiny fingers claw into her arm. A yawn escaped her as she opened her brown eyes completely and focused on the five-year-old boy next to her.

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

She chuckled as her boy mimicked the words she would always use in the morning to get him out of bed. With a sigh she pushed herself up against the headboard and took the boy in her arms, showering the side of his face with kisses.

"Mommmyyy!" His laughter filled the room while he tried to squirm his way out of her embrace.

"Mommy wants a hug." She ruffled his chestnut hair. "A big hug."

A smile came across the five-year-olds face as he reached up and wrapped his small arms around neck, tightly pushing his body against her chest. She laughed and wrapped her own arms around him, stroking the fabric of his green shirt.

"That's what I call a hug." She pecked his cheek.

"Good hug?" His face lit up while he pulled his arms back.

"A very good hug."

He jumped off the bed and ran into the master bathroom. Elena shook her head in amusement and got out the bed, changing her blue nightwear into a black dress with a seam that stopped halfway her thighs.

"You okay, buddy?"

She approached him from behind and watched him brushing his teeth. He nodded his head fiercely as she filled a glass with water so he could rinse.

"Whrr ditttnt yuhh...wkke mii pp?"

She laughed and handed him the glass. "Let's try that again when your mouth is empty."

He took the glass from her and rinsed his mouth. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Sorry, buddy." She stroked the pieces of hair that fell on his forehead to the side. "Mommy didn't hear the alarm."

"Have you been dreaming again?" His wide eyes looked up at her. "You're always dreaming when you don't hear your alarm."

"Yeah..." She nodded her head sadly. "I was dreaming."

"Good or bad dream?"

"Good dream."

Her voice was barely a whisper, remembering the dream she had woken up from a few minutes ago. The same dreams that had been haunting her for the past five years, remembering her every night of what once had been.

Her heart squeezed together in her chest as she faced reality again, seeing her son's eyes study her face, knowing which man was waiting for her downstairs.

"You can always sleep with me if you have a bad dream." His little fingers squeezed her hand. "Like I sleep with you and daddy when I have a bad dream."

"I love you, buddy." She placed a kiss on his crown. "You know that, right?"

He nodded his head while a smile spread on his face. "Love you too, mommy."

She took a minute to savor the moment before walking back to the bedroom. "So where do I have to pick you up?"

"Mommy." He rolled his eyes. "I told you a thousand times, at Emma's."

"Right." She nodded, pulling on her boots. "I thought you hated Emma?"

"That was last week, now I like her." A devilish grin spread across his face, a look she knew all too well. "She started wearing super short skirts."

"Liam Salvatore." A gasp left her throat. "Who teaches you these things?"

He stood there, shifting from one foot to the other, biting his lip, being his cute little self. It was at these moments she knew just how much he had her wrapped around his little finger. While any other mother would chastity him for his words, she couldn't help but laugh.

It was at the same moments she wanted to hide him from the world, knowing it would only bring him pain. That he would grow up and get his heart broken, something she never wanted him to experience. The thing that would make the smile disappear from his face, the same thing that would take his innocence away.

"You're not staying over at Auntie Caroline's anymore." She pointed her finger at him", because I know exactly where you got that from."

He let out one of his dirty giggles and ran out of the bedroom, keeping the smile plastered on his face. She sighed and walked after him, descending the stairs with that pit in her stomach, the pit that had become the sign for the one emotion she always felt while reaching the bottom of the stairs.

Disappointment.

"Good morning." His green eyes lit up while she walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning." She pecked his cheek, knowing he would expect her to.

"I made pancakes." He turned his body around so he could wrap his arms around her waist.

She smiled at him, wondering why he didn't make her heart beat faster anymore, why her body didn't tingle in anticipation like it used to. Her eyes took in his face, remembering the time where she thought it were the most beautiful features she had ever seen, only to be proven wrong so many years later.

"I'm sure Liam would like some." She entangled their bodies and poured herself some coffee. "I have to leave for work."

"He already had breakfast." His smile faltered, scanning her face nervously. "You forgot what day it is, didn't you?"

"No. I know exactly what day it is." She picked her briefcase up from the ground. "Five years ago you proposed."

"Is there something wrong with you?" His eyebrows knitted together. "You're distant this morning."

"I'm sorry." She let out an exaggerated sigh. "It's just I'm late for work, I still have to drop Liam off at school and I don't get why someone wants to celebrate their proposal anniversary."

"I thought it could be special." He shrugged. "Guess I was wrong."

"It was a nice gesture." She kissed him briefly, knowing it would soothe him. "We'll celebrate tonight."

"I'll make dinner." His green eyes lit up again. "It will be ready once you get home."

"I'll be a bit later than usual." She looked around in the room, searching for the little boy.

"This isn't like five years ago, is it?" He whispered, looking at her like she committed a crime. "You being late again..?"

"Stefan." She looked at him in horror. "We said we wouldn't talk about that anymore. I made a mistake and you said you could forgive me. We moved on and we have a son."

"I know, I know." He held his hands up in surrender. "But you can't blame me for letting it cross my mind."

"Actually I can." She breathed. "We've been married for almost five years and you still don't know you can trust me. I promised you I would never make that mistake again."

"I'm sorry." He put his hands on her arms and started rubbing them, trying to soothe her. "I trust you."

"I just have to pick up Liam at Emma's, she lives on the other side of town. That's why I'll be late."

"Now I feel horrible." He shook his head at her, guilt filling his eyes. "I'm so sorry for doubting you."

"Never mind, I'm running late." She turned around again, grabbing her car keys from the counter. "Liam, are you ready?"

"Ready." He wobbled into the kitchen, carrying a huge flower pot in his tiny arms.

"What are you going to do with those?" Elena exclaimed, frowning her eyebrows at her son.

"They're for Emma." He smiled at her, giving her an innocent look. "Every man brings flowers when he takes a girl out."

"But you're not dating yet." She rolled her eyes. "You're only five years old for Christ's sake."

"But doesn't it count if we're staying in?" He batted his eyelashes.

"Don't be a smarty pants." Her eyes narrowed. "How did you even get those?"

"Auntie Bonnie took me to visit her grandmother."

"AT THE GRAVEYARD?"

"All her grandparents live at the graveyard." He shrugged indifferently.

"Put that down now." She pointed from the flower pot to the ground. "How am I going to explain this to your aunt?"

"Don't." He lifted his tiny shoulders. "It's not like her grandmother will notice."

"Get in the car!"

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><p>"You look happy." The chipper blond turned around as she walked in the office.<p>

"Turns out my son is not only a womanizer but a grave robber too." She let out a sigh, throwing her briefcase on her desk.

"What did he do now?" Her blond curls danced around her round face as she sat down on her own desk, preparing herself for the story.

"He has a play date with a girl this afternoon, turns out the only reason he likes her is because she wears miniskirts." She rolled her eyes exaggerated. "Then he walks into the living room with a flower pot he stole from Bonnie's grandmother's grave."

"I love that kid." The blonde smiled widely. "He's a handful but I love him."

"Talking about you and him, he's not spending the night with you anymore." She pointed her finger at her. "Tyler is probably the one who got that idea of the miniskirts in his head."

"That's not only Tyler's fault." Caroline shrugged. "He's a Salvatore, it's in their blood."

"But Tyler is the one who's always messing with his mind." Elena plopped herself down in her chair. "So Liam is not staying over at your place anymore while Tyler's there."

"That's going to be hard to do." Her face lit up, the smile only growing wider. "Guess what?"

"_Guess what?" _

_Her brown doe eyes lit up as she ran into the office, bumping into the mail man and running straight at the blonde that stood with her back towards her. _

"_What?" She tucked one of her blond curls back behind her ear, turning around slowly. _

"_Stefan asked me to marry him." Elena jumped up and down. _

"_WHAT?" The blonde shrieked, jumping with her. _

"_He proposed." She yelled louder, receiving a death glare from a few colleagues. _

"_I got that." The blue eyes lit up in excitement. "You said yes, didn't you?"_

"_Of course I did, you silly!" She glared at her friend. _

"_Aren't you nervous?" Caroline stopped jumping, causing her to stop too. _

"_A little bit." She chewed on her bottom lip. "I mean, I just turned twenty and __there are__ still so many things I want to do but I guess now I don't have to do them alone."_

"_But you're sure about this?" Caroline's face lit up again. "You're a hundred percent sure you want to spend the rest of your life with him?"_

"_I love him." A wide smile spread across her face. "We're good together. We've been dating since __high school and we made it so why wouldn't we make it through the rest of our lives?"_

"_Just checking__,"__ Caroline started dancing again. "We're getting married."_

"_I'm getting married." She pulled the blonde down. _

"_But you getting married is like me getting married." _

_Elena could only roll her eyes at her friend, knowing she wouldn't even have to ask if she wanted to be a bridesmaid. "So maid of honour, what's on our schedule?" _

"_Maid of honour, seriously,__"__ Caroline's eyes went wide. "I'm your maid of honour?"_

"_Of course you are." She punched her fist against the girl's shoulder __",__ who else?"_

"_Thank you, thank you." The blonde hugged her while jumping up and down again. "Just wait and see what I have in store for your bachelorette party."_

"_I'm going to regret this." She sighed into the palms of her hands. _

"_Oh cheer up." Caroline shook her. "Besides we have a new case, well the lawyers have a new case and the paralegals can do their work again."_

"_So you mean they get the credit while we worked our asses off?" Elena got a smile on her face. _

"_Exactly", the blonde sighed. "At least this time we get to prepare a heart surgeon from Chicago for his testimony." _

"_Oh no!" She pointed her finger at Caroline. "It's my turn to prepare him, you're doing the paperwork this time. I did it the last time and you know our deal, we take turns."_

"_But Elena__", s__he exclaimed. "This could be the one, I could marry a heart surgeon."_

"_No." She shook her head. "I caved when you thought that wealthy businessman could be the one but I'm not doing all that paperwork again."_

"_Fine__", s__he huffed. "Just know when in seventy years the only thing I can pet is a bunch of cats, it will be __your entire__ fault."_

"_I can live with that." She scoffed. "But I cannot live with all that paperwork." _

"_I'm just curious how our heart surgeon will look like."_

"Guess what, Elena?" Caroline jumped up and down, doing the same dance she did five years ago.

"What?" Elena looked up, knowing it was her turn to ask the question after five years.

"Tyler proposed." Caroline shrieked. "I'm going to get married!"

"That's great." Elena jumped up from her chair, hugging her friend tightly. "I'm so happy for you."

"Just look at the ring he bought me." Caroline extended her hand, showing off the big diamond ring.

"Wow." Elena put her hand in front of her mouth. "It's beautiful."

"Wait until you see our kids." Caroline's eyes went wide. "I know they won't be as pretty as Liam but can you imagine them?"

"Caroline are you...?"

"_Of course not!"_

"_I'm just saying that it's a bit weird to get married so early." Caroline shrugged. "You always said you wouldn't marry before you were twenty-five so I just assumed you were pregnant."_

"_You assumed wrong." Elena chuckled. "I said that before I met Stefan and he changed my mind."_

"_I'm happy as long as you're happy." Caroline clapped her hands together. "And as long as I can be the maid of honour."_

_Elena shook her head in amusement, seeing her friend beam with the thought of the upcoming wedding she was about to arrange. _

"_Ladies__", a__ deep voice pulled her eyes away from Caroline. "This is your new case."_

_She heard Caroline's gasp before she had the time to advert her gaze to the man beside Klaus. Her eyes scanned his body nervously, starting at the bottom and traveling up to the top. Her skin started to tingle as she detected the muscles under the black shirt, the ache between her legs made its presence known as she found the strong jawline, her eyes only sliding more upwards to a face more beautiful than any model could ever wish for. _

"_This is Caroline." Klaus pointed to Caroline who sat across from her. _

_The man nodded his head and moved to Caroline's desk, taking her hand in his. "Nice to meet you."_

_Elena's eyes carefully studied the movements of the two people in front of her. Goosebumps appeared on her arms as his voice filled the silent room. _

"_And this is Elena." Klaus pointed his hand towards her. _

_The man turned around, his eyes searching for hers. A gasp left her throat as her brown doe eyes locked with his ocean blue ones. Her heart drummed in her chest as he slowly walked towards her, a predator hunting his prey. An unfamiliar kind of tingles spread over her skin as he took her extended hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of her hand, his blue eyes staying locked with hers. _

"_It's a pleasure to meet you, Elena." A smirk played across his lips, his tongue devouring her name. _

"Of course not!"

"Thank god." Elena held her hand above her heart, seeing Caroline's offended gaze. "No I didn't mean it that way!"

"Which way did you mean it?" Caroline glared at her.

"I mean that Stefan and I got Liam at a young age and I think you should enjoy your life as a married couple before you have kids."

"You're right." Caroline's face relaxed again. "You almost popped Liam out of you at the wedding."

"It was a year after we got married." She rolled her eyes. "I wasn't even pregnant at the wedding."

"I still thought it was soon." Caroline put her finger on her chin. "I would have expected you to wait at least three years."

"You know it wasn't my choice to get pregnant", she whispered, bowing her gaze to the ground. "If it was up to me I would have waited a few more years."

"I know." Caroline shook her head, her tone more quiet. "I'm sorry, I always forget."

"It's okay." She smiled sadly. "I'm happy now, he's the light of my life."

"I know." Caroline gave her a smile. "Everyone adores him."

"Even if he was a bit unexpected."

"I wondered why you never had an abortion." Caroline shrugged. "When you find out you were pregnant, you hated it but now you love him more than anything."

"You know why I kept him." Her eyes searched for the blue ones. "Besides, Stefan would have never forgiven me if I got rid of him."

"How are things between you and Stefan?"

"One minute we're fine but the next he reminds me of the mistake I made..." She shrugged. "And I get mad at him for it, I made a mistake and I came clean but he can't keep it against me for the rest of my life."

"You always call it a mistake." Caroline shook her head. "But do you really see it that way?"

"Of course, Caroline", she threw her pen on the desk. "I was married, of course it was a mistake."

"Then why do you never call it by its real name?" Caroline's eyes bored into hers. "They have a word for it."

"You know I don't see it that way." She shook her head, her hands balling into fists next to her.

"You had an affair."

"No."

"Then how would you like to call it?" Caroline shrugged. "Tell me what you think it was."

"I fell in love with a man who was not my husband and he broke my heart. That's what it was."

"Do you still think about him?" Caroline whispered, her eyes searching her face.

"Every night."

"Does it still hurt?"

"Every second."

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><p>"Liam, stop running."<p>

She chuckled and did her best to catch up with him. He reached the front door of the mansion and pushed it open, leaving the door open behind him. With a sigh she ran after him, only pausing because her phone started ringing in her purse.

"Can't miss me?"

"Elena." Caroline breathed her name.

"What's wrong?" She put her hand on the handle of the front door.

"I don't know how to say things." Even if she couldn't see the blonde, she knew she was shaking her head.

"Caroline Forbes speechless?" Elena let a giggle slip. "I never thought I would live to see the day."

"He's coming back, Elena."

"Who?"

"_Who?" _

"_You're not serious, are you?" Caroline crossed her arms over her chest. "Katy Perry, do you ever watch MTV?"_

"_No." She shrugged. "Besides why would I want some chick from MTV on my wedding?"_

"_Because she's amazing__",__ Caroline's eyes went wide. "I would kill to get her at my wedding."_

"_Well then get married." She threw her arms up. "But I don't want some hip-hop chick singing at my wedding." _

"_At your bachelorette party?" Caroline clapped her hands._

"_No." She exclaimed. "I don't want a bachelorette party." _

"_Why not?" A pout appeared on Caroline's face. "Every girl needs a bachelorette party."_

"_I don't." She focused her attention back on the paper she had been reading. _

"_But what about the caterer?" _

"_And the flowers?"_

"_And the minister?" _

"_Are you going to have any other bridesmaids?"_

"_Do we have someone's child we could borrow to play flower girl?"_

"_Can we steal a ring bearer somewhere?" _

"_Caroline, shut up." She punched her fist on the table. _

"_Exactly what I was going to say__", t__he velvet voice came from behind her._

"_And why would you have a say in this?" Caroline glared at the blue-eyed man, obviously frustrated with his interruption. _

"_Because you haven't asked the most important__ question." He waggled his eyebrows at Elena, making shivers go through her spine. "The question that really matters."_

"_What's the most important question?" Caroline leaned forward, her frustration suddenly forgotten. _

"_What is she going to wear on her wedding night?" He bit his lip, staring right into her core. "Before she's naked, obviously." _

"_Excuse me." A gasp left Elena's throat while she pulled her gaze away from the ocean blue eyes. "Who do you think you are?" _

"_I __thought__ that was obvious." He shrugged indifferently. "Damon Salvatore." _

"Damon Salvatore."

"No."

Her phone fell out of her hands, landing on the ground with a loud thud. Her head fall back against the door while her body moved down to the ground, her knees pulled up against her chest with her purse clutched tightly against her.

"Mommy?"

Her head snapped back to her son's voice, tears started to roll down her cheeks as he approached her. His hand gently reached for hers as he saw the tears on her face, with a sad smile she tried to comfort him.

"Mommy's okay."

The whisper left her throat, her heart breaking again in a million pieces after five years of not being completely whole. Her soul started to long again, after five years of feeling incomplete. Her heart started to hope again, after five years of being lonely.

Her breaths became faster, her heartbeats more frantic, her eyes darting around to room to hold the gaze of the only human that had ever mattered in the past five years. Because he had been the only thing that reminded her of the person she had once been.

Memories and feelings of times she had locked away a long time ago came back as she looked into her son's ocean blue eyes.

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><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	2. We feed the fire that killed us

Thank you Sandra for betaing this chapter.

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><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 2

_'We feed the fire that killed us'_

"How are you doing?"

Caroline walked in as soon as she opened the door, not even giving her the time to say a proper hello. She slammed the door almost shut before a hand held it open and Tyler's face appeared.

"I'm sorry, Tyler." She looked up at the muscled man. "I didn't see you there."

"Don't worry about it." He smiled and draped his arm over Caroline's shoulders. "This one left me behind in the car."

"Congratulations by the way." Elena focused her attention on Tyler. "I heard the good news yesterday."

"Eleeennaa." Caroline sing-songed, ignoring her fiance who tried to say thank you. "You didn't answer my question."

"I'm ..." She cast a look at Tyler who stood there awkwardly.

"Where's Liam?" He sniffed like there was something burning. "I smell a girls' talk."

"He's in the kitchen eating his breakfast." She smiled gratefully as he walked past her to the kitchen. "Ignore him if he asks for cookies!"

"So how are you doing?" Caroline asked in a more serious tone, her blue eyes noticing the dark circles under her tired gaze. "Did you sleep at all?"

"Not really." She yawned. "Does it surprise you?"

"No." Her eyes filled with remorse. "But you could use some make up."

"This is me wearing make up." She pointed to her face. "You don't want to know how many layers are on there."

"Oh. Just avoid mirrors today, okay?"

Elena couldn't help but shake her head in amusement as her friend gave her the typical Caroline-smile.

"So Tyler will drop Liam off at school and we'll take your car to work." Caroline put her hands on Elena's shoulders, looking around. "And where the hell is Stefan?"

"Still asleep." She shrugged.

"I wish we all had the luxury to work at home."

Elena could only roll her eyes at the statement. When one used the term work, she assumed they were at least tired at the end of the day. But Stefan was never such a thing; he had been writing on his book since the day they met in high school. As a teenager she couldn't help but fall for the aspiring writer who claimed she was his muse. Eight years, one marriage, a son, and an affair later she couldn't help but to get frustrated at his lack of inspiration.

"Yeah " She huffed. "He probably wrote one page more than last month."

"The luxury of a trust fund." Caroline sighed. "I wish my daddy was as rich as Stefan's."

Giuseppe Salvatore was a wealthy businessman. Stefan who had been raised under his care had never known what poverty was, his whole life he had been taken care of, money had never been a problem to him because he had always known the way to his sugar daddy. Something that had intrigued Elena at the beginning of their relationship, but now it was just another thing that frustrated her. She liked an ambitious man, a man that made his own money, just like she did, so at the end of the day when she bought a new car or house she could tell people she had worked for it, and it wasn't thrown into her hands.

"His daddy being rich doesn't help him write his book."

"But it does help you live in this nice house." Caroline shrugged, before locking her gaze back with Elena's. "Did you tell him?"

"Stefan isn't exactly a fan of Damon."

Her voice breathed the name, almost in a longing way. Longing so much that her heart clenched together with just the sound of his name, her breathing became faster, her airways squeezed together. She couldn't imagine which reactions her body would produce as the office would be buzzing with his presence again. Just like five years ago.

"_Everyone is talking about Damon Salvatore." _

_Elena looked up from her desk as Caroline sat down next to her. "I don't get what the fuss is all about." _

"_Elena, are you blind?" Caroline's mouth fell open. "Have you seen those eyes?" _

"_Sure." She shrugged. "He's all right."_

"_All right?" Caroline's voice pitched. "I know you have Stefan and he's already like an Adonis__, __but Damon ..."_

"_Damon's what?" _

"_Every time I look at him it's like the Niagara falls stream between my legs."_

"_I've always dreamed about swimming in the Niagara falls." The velvet voice made them both look up, his blue eyes bored into her brown ones, his lips curled up in a smirk, the muscles in his perfect body emphasized by the tight black shirt. "Naked." _

"_Mr. Salvatore." Elena stood up, extending her hand to him. "I'll be working with you to prepare you for your testimonial." _

"_Don't spend all your time on me." He walked __past__ her, ignoring her extended hand. "I've done dozens of these, I should be the one telling you how it goes."_

"_Still, we should go through the details of the case." _

"_You're one of those." He rolled his eyes exaggerated, leaning back in her chair, his legs propped up on her desk. "A party pooper."_

"_Mr. __Salvatore." She clenched her teeth together, trying to remain polite. "This is a really important case."_

"_Aren't they all." He rolled his eyes and got up, focusing his gaze on her body. "So I have to work with you for at least three months?"_

"_You could work with me." Caroline beamed, a smiled plastered on her face. _

"_No." Elena pointed a finger at her. "You're doing the paperwork this time."_

"_Such a shame. I would have loved to work with you, blondie." Damon pouted. "I think this one's legs are going to be so much harder to get them to open for me." _

_Caroline laughed a dirty chuckle__,__ while Elena's mouth fell open. _

"_But don't worry, sweetie." He patted her __buttocks__. "I like a challenge."_

"_Excuse me __...__" It was the only thing she got out as he kept his intense stare on her, her cheeks turned red as he licked his lips, his eyes darkening as they slid over her curves. "But I have a fiance." _

"_Really?" An amused smile came across his lips. "And how's that working out for you?"_

"_You're one of those." She mocked his words and rolled her eyes. "The one that doesn't believe in marriage__,__ and claims to stay single forever."_

"_You got that right." He grabbed her purse from her desk and started walking to the exit. _

"_What are you doing?" She grabbed her coat from the hanger and ran after him. _

"_If we're not going to sleep together I'm going to need coffee." _

"_And why am I supposed to go with you?" _

"_Because you get these wrinkles in your forehead when I annoy you." He gave her a devilish smirk. "It's cute."_

"_If I have to keep you entertained you better give me some answers."_

"_Shoot."_

"_My gun is in my purse." _

"_Cute." He rolled his eyes and looked down at the brown purse in his hands. "I'm going to keep this one with me."_

"_That's why you're against marriage." She exclaimed. "Gay marriage isn't allowed in Chicago."_

"_Fine." He pushed the bag back in her arms. "You can have your purse."_

"_See it wasn't that hard to get your manhood back."_

"_You're annoying." _

"_Some call it witty."_

"_They're idiots." _

"_So why are you against marriage?" She looked up at him, pulling her coat over her shoulders. "It's a beautiful thing between two people who love each other and conceal that lo__-__"_

"_Bla__, __Bla." He interrupted before she could finish her speech. "Marriage is for people who're afraid to be alone."_

"_Or for people who have found that one person in the world that's made for them."_

"_Have you met all the people in the world?"_

"_No." She stammered, lost in his intense blue gaze. "That's impossible."_

"_Then how can you know that your fiance is the one?"_

"_I love him." She swung her bag over her shoulder. "We're in love."_

"_People fall in and out of love all the time." He shrugged, fixing his gaze back on hers, a small smile on his lips. "How old are you anyway?"_

"_I turned twenty a few months ago."_

"_Exactly my point." He threw his arms up. "You haven't met enough people in your life to know the one."_

"_But what if I already met him when I was seventeen?" A smug smirk came across her face. "Maybe Stefan __really is __the one." _

"_Then they gave it to you too easy__." He waggled his eyebrows. "You don't deserve the one without fighting for her."_

"_You believe there is something as the one?"_

"_You gave me this whole speech about the one and now you're doubting it?" He arched his eyebrow at her before noticing her serious gaze and letting out a sigh. "I believe in love, I believe that you can love someone so much that you're prepared to love their flaws as well."_

"_But nobody is perfect." _

"_That's exactly my point." He smirked, his blue eyes lighting up. "Tell me one thing about your fiance that you hate."_

"_He ... uh ... he ..." She stammered, looking for words in her head. _

"_Tell me three things you hate about me."_

"_You're cocky, arrogant, you speak before you think__, __and you have an opinion about everything." _

_"That's four." __He let out a hard laugh before focusing his gaze back on hers. "I'm more the one for you than your fiance will ever be."_

"_But If I can't say something bad about Stefan doesn't that mean he's the one?" Her eyebrows knitted together while he started walking further away from her. _

"_No." He turned around, walking backwards. "It means you don't know him well enough to call him the one for you."_

"_Damon." She stopped him as he was about to turn around again. "I'm not a fan of my in-laws." _

"_Who is?"_

"Who is?" Caroline muttered under her breath.

"Mommy!" A squealing Liam ran into the room, carrying his backpack. "Can uncle Ty bring me to school?"

"I think auntie Caroline already arranged it with your mom." Tyler came from behind the corner and ruffled her son's hair.

"Yes, he can take you." She focused on him, seeing him chew frantically. "How did those cookies get in your mouth?"

"Uncle Ty gave them to me." He put his most innocent face on.

"Tyler!" Caroline's voice pitched, her hands on her hips. "Elena told you not to."

"He blackmailed me." Tyler shrugged before punching Liam's shoulder. "Why did you tell them?"

"Other wise I would get in trouble."

"How can a five-year-old boy blackmail you?" Caroline glared at him.

Tyler shifted uncomfortably on his feet, his gaze shifting between Liam and Caroline. "That's something between me and him."

"Can uncle Ty pick me up, too?" The blue eyes of her son shimmered.

"Sure buddy." Tyler patted his head. "Do I have to pick you up at school or at Emma's? Speaking about that. How did it go?"

Elena turned her head around, glaring at her son who was about to speak.

Liam bit his lip and looked up at Tyler. "I'll tell you in the car."

"That good?"

Liam took Tyler's hand and started dragging him to the door, walking past his mother and Caroline who watched them with narrowed eyes.

"Didn't you forget something?" Elena knelt down, holding her arms open for her son.

"Love you mommy." He walked in her embrace, wrapping his arms around her neck.

"Love you, too." She pecked his cheek and released him again.

He turned around after giving Caroline a hug and ran to Tyler who was waiting by the door. He grabbed the older male's hand and walked through the door with him.

"She wore pink panties."

"Liam!"

* * *

><p>"What time does he arrive?"<p>

Her heart drummed in her chest as she put her bag down on the desk, prepared for another day of work. A day she had never expected to relive again, being near him, being able to touch him, hear his voice, having his skin against hers, his arms wrapped around her and his soul locked in her heart.

"I don't know." Caroline shrugged, her blond curls bouncing. "But Jeanette from the reception said she would text you as soon as he arrived so you can hide in a closet or under a table or wherever you prefer."

"He's going to be here for god knows how long." She shook her head. "I won't be able to avoid him forever."

"But you can try."

"What if he finds out about Liam?" She whispered quietly, looking for an answer in her friend. "The day I got Liam I promised myself I would do anything to keep him away from Damon."

"He won't find out, Elena." Caroline squeezed her arm. "Liam is never here and if he knows you're back with Stefan, he'll only think it's normal that you have a child by now."

"Why did he come back?" She shrugged defeated. "He must have known I was going to be here."

"I don't think he chose to be here." Caroline gave her a sympathetic smile. "But the case we worked on five years ago, they reopened it, and I think that's why he had to come back."

"I don't want him here." She grabbed her bag and started looking for her phone, hoping she hadn't received a text from Jeanette yet. "I think I forgot my phone at home."

"I'll just call her and tell her she has to text me." Caroline went to her desk to grab her phone.

Elena threw her bag back behind her desk, giving up the search. She plopped down in her chair and looked through the glass that separated the offices of the paralegals from those of the actual lawyers.

"Caroline." Her voice trembled, shivers running down her spine. "You don't have to call her."

Her heart stopped beating, her breathing paused, every nerve in her body aware of what her eyes were seeing. Her gaze traveled over the back she knew better than her own body, the muscles she had explored with her own hands, the skin she had found with her own lips.

A back and body that would forever be carved in her line of sight because she had seen it so many times, touched it so many times. Her breasts had pushed against his shoulder blades as she snuggled against him during the night, her fingers had traced the little birthmark next to his spine, her lips had left kisses on his neck, her bare skin had found its home against his.

"Oh no." She felt Caroline drape her arm around her, the blonde's eyes fixed on the same man.

Like his body was experiencing the same tingles as hers, his head snapped around, his blue eyes locking with her brown doe ones. And together with his lips that formed her name, all the memories she had blocked away came rushing back in her mind.

Night of endless pleasure, his body moving with hers, their breaths mingling in the small space between them, their lips connected as lifelines. The lifeline they never broke, a line they kept intact through their hearts as he made love to her, slowly backing her up against the cold tiled wall, her legs wrapped around his waist and caving him in, her fingers tangled in his black damp hair, their eyes locked through every movement.

"I need to get out of here."

Caroline pushed her car keys in her hands as she saw the blue-eyed man's face tense, his body starting to move, running in her direction. Her feet started running backwards, her body turning around at the same time she heard his voice call her name.

And as she started running faster, she heard her name being called more frequently, his voice cutting through her heart as he started calling for her louder, almost desperate. Her eyes kept themselves at their goal while descending the stairs, afraid to turn around and get caught in the trap of his eyes.

Her heart drummed in her chest as she reached the parking lot and pushed the button to unlock her car. She heard him push the heavy door open only twenty seconds after she ran through it, her breathing stopped as his voice came closer, still shouting her name. With sweaty palms she pulled the door of her car open and slid in it, locking the doors behind her.

"Lena."

Her head snapped up, her eyes locking with the blue ones she had sworn to love forever. The same eyes that haunted her dreams, that made every man's eyes fade next to them. Usually they were bright and shimmering, the windows to his soul, if he let you close enough to look into them. The blue that could dominate and melt you at the same time, the emotions behind them that could kill you or love you.

"Open the door."

One of his palms rested on the window, the other on the roof of the car. His eyes were boring into hers, begging her with that ocean of blue. There had been a time when she would have done anything for him if he looked at her with those eyes. But not anymore, not after he ruined her for any other man and had the nerve to leave her behind like the shell of the person she once was.

"No."

She shook her head, the whisper breathed through her lips, her eyes looking at every feature of his face she'd had to miss for five years, every piece of skin she had kissed more than a hundred times, every pore of him she had locked in her heart.

His eyes got wide as she started the car and put it in gear, his hands punching on the roof, demanding to unlock everything so she could let him in again. His nails scraped against the glass as she drove away from him, letting the man she once loved more than herself behind, pulling her soul back in her chest and taking it away from the man it begged to be collided with, taking her heart with her so he couldn't break the pieces further apart.

* * *

><p>"Mommy?"<p>

"Living room." She wiped her tears away and sat up straight, not wanting to show her son the mess she was.

"Uncle Ty walked me to the door." He sauntered into the room, dragging his backpack behind him. "He said he was going to play baseball with me, but then auntie Care called and he had to pick her up."

"I'm sorry, sweetie." She took him in her arms as the pout appeared on his face, knowing exactly why Tyler had to pick Caroline up. "I'm sure he'll play with you another time."

"Maybe I can ask daddy." He crawled under the blanket and snuggled into her chest.

"That's a good idea." She stroked his hair back, looking at his face. "It's been a while since you two did something together."

And as she saw her little boy's face lighten up she realized how much he really looked like his father, except for those blue eyes that could hold your world, there were his lips, soft and perfectly formed, the dimples, the same structure of his hair, everything what she loved about the man that stood before her a few hours ago, she could find in the boy in her arms.

They lay there for a few minutes, Liam enjoying his mother's fingers that massaged his scalp while he listened to the heartbeat in her chest, the same heartbeat that had always calmed him down since he was a little boy and crying for his mommy during the night.

"Daddy's home." Liam's face lit up as he heard the front door unlock.

She chuckled as he jumped off the couch and ran out of the living room to greet Stefan. She stood up, too, throwing the blanket off of her and walking to the kitchen where she heard her son's chipper voice talking to Stefan.

"Please, daddy." She saw her son sit on the counter while he was pleading with his father. "Pretty please."

"Liam." Stefan sighed. "I told you a thousand times not to climb on the counter."

"Sorry." He slid off the counter to the chair he used to climb on it. "But please? Can we play outside?"

"Not now, buddy." He ruffled the boy's hair.

"Tomorrow?" His blue eyes lit up in excitement. "Pretty please?"

"I don't know, Liam." Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose.

"But I want to play outside." The boy stomped his foot on the chair.

"And I want to write a book." Stefan growled, making Liam flinch.

"Writing that book is going to take a lot longer than playing with him." Elena put her hands on Liam's shoulders. "He'll be tired of it in twenty minutes anyway."

"Please daddy?" Liam clapped his hands together like he was praying, making Elena chuckle.

"I said not now." Stefan's eyes went wide. "Go to your room."

Liam's face fell as he saw Stefan's hard face, heard his harsh tone. Elena helped him off the chair and stroked his hair while he crawled up the stairs, his light footsteps disappearing into his room.

"What's wrong with you?" She spat in his face. "You didn't have to yell at him."

"If he would have listened the first time, I wouldn't have had to yell at him."

"He's a little boy that wants to play outside with his dad." She threw her arms up. "It's been ages since you played with him, he was excited."

"If you didn't always give him his way, he would be used to obeying his parents." His green eyes went wide again. "But no, you let him get away with everything."

"Not with everything." She arched her eyebrow. "I set the same rules as you, I want him to be polite and respectful. But that doesn't mean he isn't a kid, he makes mistakes just like adults do."

"A five year old is not supposed to be interested in miniskirts." He punched his fist on the table. "Do I walk around and gossip about how short a girl's skirt is?"

"No but ..."

"But he did." Stefan let out a hard laugh. "And that's all that matters to you, isn't it? You never punish him because you love that he takes after him."

"Not again, Stefan." She pointed her finger at him. "This needs to stop, all of that is in the past. Damon is in my past."

"Is he?" Stefan retrieved her phone from his pocket. "Then why did he call you countless times in the last few hours?"

"Why do you have my phone?"

"Because you left it here, and I wanted to drop it off at your work until it started ringing and I saw who it was." He slammed the phone down on the table. "I don't know what I find the worst, the fact that you still have his number or the fact that you never even bothered to save it under a false name."

"Mommy."

Elena's head snapped around as she heard her son's cries coming from the doorway.

"This is exactly what I mean." Stefan shook his head and pointed at the sobbing boy. "He's supposed to be in his room."

"He probably heard us yell and got scared."

She picked her son up from the ground and carried him upstairs, carefully placing him down on his bed where she pulled the covers over him and sat on top of them, stroking his hair.

"Is daddy mad at me?"

"No." She shook her head, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "Daddy isn't mad at you."

"Than why was he yelling at you?" His big blue eyes looked up at her.

"We had a fight, like you sometimes fight with your friends at school."

"Did daddy kick you, too?"

"No." She chuckled. "Daddy didn't kick me, we were fighting about old people stuff."

"Boring stuff." He snuggled his nose against her thigh.

"Yeah ..." She squeezed his hand in hers. "Boring stuff."

"I don't like it when daddy yells at you." He whispered quietly. "It makes me scared."

"I know." She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his forehead. "That's why I want you to stay with auntie Caroline for a few days, until mommy and daddy stop fighting."

"But you said I couldn't stay with auntie Care anymore."

"I'll give you some earplugs." She tickled his sides, making the boy laugh. "That way I know you won't come home with new dirty words."

"Mommy." The boy laughed in her embrace, his little body squirming under her.

And as she looked at the boy in her arms she couldn't help but to feel happy after a day filled with sadness and hurt.

* * *

><p>"Stefan." She pulled the door open in relieve. "Fina-"<p>

A gasp left her throat as she tried to slam the door shut again, pulling her eyes away from the blue ones that were standing behind it.

He pushed the door back open, moving her body backwards. "You failed hospitality."

"Damon." She breathed, pulling her robe tighter around her. "What are you doing here?"

"Since you run away from me, I come to you."

"That still doesn't answer my question." She closed the door, crossing her arms over her chest. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to make conversation." He shrugged indifferently. "I love what you've done with the place."

She shook her head and watched him move around like he owned the place. Her eyes following him everywhere, taking it his body, trying to discover what had changed in the past five years. His hair seemed shorter than it had been, his face had more hard features, but it was still the most beautiful she had ever seen, his shoulders were broader, not the body of a twenty year old anymore but the one of someone in his early thirties. But out of all the things she remembered about him, there was still something very much the same, his eyes.

"Go away, Damon." She shook her head and huffed. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Why not?" He arched his eyebrow, the same way she remembered him doing it.

"Because I'm married."

"That never stopped us before."

She shook her head at him, adverting her eyes from his intense gaze, the words he had spoken dancing in her mind. And she knew he was right. If they would still be what they once were she would be on the floor by now, begging him to make them one, to let her soul near its other half. Her body would be drowning in pleasure and she would be squirming underneath him, screaming his name. Stefan wouldn't even cross her mind, and the fact she was married would have been long forgotten, the only things that would matter would be him, his eyes boring into hers, his body connected and grounded in hers, their souls intertwined and their hearts beating to reach the same goal.

"Please just go."

"Why Elena?" After all those years he still had the ability to make her shiver when he spoke her name.

"Because I don't want you here."

"Bullshit." His blue eyes bored into hers. "You don't want to want me here."

"Why would I want you here?" Tears started welling up in her eyes. "So you can put me through another heartbreak?"

"You know I didn't mean to." He looked down at the small cabinet and grabbed one of the pictures. "You really moved on."

"I told you I would." She whispered, for once grateful for Stefan's obsession with sepia pictures so their son's blue eyes weren't visible.

"He looks like you." He held a picture with her and Liam up.

"I think he looks more like his father." She approached him, slowly taking the picture out of his hands.

"Let's hope not." She could feel his gaze on her. "Poor kid."

"You need to go." She whispered quietly, keeping her eyes on the picture.

"How can you be even more beautiful than five years ago?"

Her head snapped up at his words, her eyes looking into his, seeing the pieces of his soul she used to see all the time. For the first time in the minute they had been standing here, she noticed how close he was, their bodies almost touching, the sparks flying between their bodies, begging them to collide together.

"Do you even remember us?" His hand came up to her cheek, caressing the skin there.

Goosebumps appeared together with his touch, her body remembering all too well who was able to make her feel like this. Who was able to possess her like no one else had ever done, to make her scream in pleasure like no man had done before him. Her heart remembered the same touch, the touch it loved, the touch from the man it had been made to love, the only man she had ever really loved.

"Go, Damon. Please."

"You really blocked everything out, didn't you?" He let out a hard laugh, stroking her cheek once more, his eyes scanning her tearstained face.

"I don't want to remember us." Her teary eyes bored into his, the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Of course not, if you did you would realize you're living a lie with him."

"Like I lived a lie with you?" Her teeth clenched together.

"At least our love was never a lie."

Tears streamed down her face as she remember the moments with him. The moments she loved him the most, would have done anything to keep him, would have killed for him if he'd asked her to. The moments she never had to pretend to love someone, where her heart just did the job for her and showed it with her body, with the words she spoke to him. And now that heart was gone, he had killed it, let it shatter into a million pieces so it would never love the man she was legally bound to again, so she would always remember how it was to have loved once, really loved.

"Go."

"Do you remember us?"

She felt his eyes on her face, waiting for an answer, his expression desperate, waiting for the words he wanted to hear. His heart drummed in his chest as he confronted the silence that she would never fill. With a firm nod he pulled his hand away from her cheek, breaking the connection she had once savored so much.

She flinched as she heard the door fall in the lock again. Her heart skipped a beat, knowing it had been left behind again. Her soul cried for its other half, tearing her limbs apart to reach it.

Her body moved to the purse on the table, desperate to hold the one thing she always held when the pain was too much to bear, the memories she couldn't but dreamed about forgetting. The picture she had kept of them in her diary to lock her worst and most precious secret away.

Her body fell on the ground as the imagine in front of her tore itself into her reality again, two humans in love, their shimmering eyes boring into the camera, one pair blue, the other brown. Their bodies entangled like their hearts were. Two people that were meant to be, but got lost along the way. And as she stared at the picture she heard his words in her mind, the voice she had wanted to hear for the past five years, the only man she would answer to, with the one answer that went through her mind.

_How could I ever __forget about us__?_

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	3. My heart never forgot us

Thank you Phyrfli for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 3

_'My heart never forgot us'_

"Your son sends you this."

Elena chuckled as Caroline wrapped her arms around her neck and squeezed her tight. With a sigh she fell into. the blonde's embrace and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being comforted.

"Damon was at my house last night." She hid her face in the blond curls.

Caroline pulled back, staring at her. "What happened?"

"Nothing..." She shrugged defeated. "He was just...Damon."

"So he was in a pain in the ass?"

"He better stay away from my ass."

"It's not like he hasn't seen it before." Caroline chuckled, her blue eyes still concerned. "Multiple times."

"Caroline." She punched the blonde's shoulder. "It's not funny."

"It kinda is."

As Caroline started laughing she couldn't help but to laugh with her, the sound tinkling in her ears. And for the first time since last night she was able to take a deep breath again.

"Don't worry." Caroline rubbed her arms, the smile plastered on her face. "We're going to shop for bridesmaid dresses."

"I love bridesmaids."

"_I love bridesmaids." _

_Elena clutched the white fabric to her chest and turned around, her eyes locking with the ocean blue ones. Her breathing hitched again, feeling them bore into hers, his gaze lingering on the white dress she was wearing. _

"_What are you doing here?" _

_He smirked as he came closer, his gaze adverting to the other girls in the room that were trying on different dresses, some of them walking through the changing rooms with nothing but their lingerie on. She saw one of them gasp as Damon looked at her, a troubled smile coming over her face while she took in his appearance. His black hair messy, the gray shirt hugging his abs, his black pants loose on his hips. _

"_We have a meeting in an hour." He stroked the dress she was wearing. "Thought I'd make sure you get there on time, I know how easily girls lose themselves between these... fluffy ..white...huge pieces... of fabric."_

"_It's called a wedding dress." _

"_Shh." He put his finger against his lips. "Don't say that, it makes my stomach do weird things."_

"_Who's this?" _

_Elena turned around to Bonnie who had a bunch of wedding dresses draped over her arm. Her brown eyes glaring at Damon who was still touching the fabric of the dress she was wearing. _

"_Bonnie this is Damon." She pointed her chin to the smirking man beside her. "He's a piece of work."_

"_She means a piece of her work." Damon glared at her, pinching her arm. "I'm a witness in one of her cases."_

"_How did you even know where I was?" She turned her head back to him, her heart skipping a beat as she saw him watching her. _

"_I called Caroline and told her I had a genius idea that might help us win the case."_

"_Do you?"_

"_Of course not."_

"_Elena." She turned her head around to her friend that held a dress out for her. "Here's another one."_

"_I've already tried thousands of them." She let out an exhausted sigh. "Do we really have to try another one?"_

"_Yes." Bonnie jumped excitedly. "We haven't found the perfect dress yet."_

_She took the dress from her, exchanging a look with Damon who narrowed his eyes at Bonnie. With a sigh she pulled the curtain closed behind her and started pulling off the dress she was wearing. _

"_Red panties." The velvet voice made her jump. "I approve."_

_A gasp left her throat as she looked up in the mirror and saw him peek through the curtain. She covered her bare breasts with one arm and hit him with her fist on his shoulder, pulling on the curtain as he pulled back with a laugh. _

"_It's nothing I haven't seen before." His voice came from behind the curtain. "I've seen so many boobs in my career that they don't do it for me anymore."_

_She rolled her eyes and ignored him, hearing him hum a song against the wall of the changing room. She pulled the new dress on and straightened the skirt while looking at herself in the mirror. _

"_God, I could never be a gynecologist just imagine if I got tired of pussy." He huffed, letting a snort out. "What sex life would I have?"_

"_Damon." _

_She clenched her teeth together, holding the dress up behind her. With one move she extended her arm and grabbed his behind the curtain, praising herself silently for aiming the right way. He stumbled a bit as she pulled him inside the changing room, closing the curtain behind him. _

"_The whole store is probably looking at you."_

"_Because I look like this." He smirked. _

"_You're so full of yourself."_

"_I have every right to be."_

"_Can you zip me up?" she turned her back towards him._

_And as he slowly approached her and took the fabric in his hands she couldn't help but look up in the mirror and watch him. His eyes focused on his work, the features of his face more relaxed than she had ever seen them, his lips slowly parted as he took the zipper between his fingers. _

_One of his hands came to rest on the other side of the fabric, his skin touching hers, leaving tingles behind. His hands carefully moved up as he kept his one hand against her back so the fabric wouldn't get stuck in the zipper. Butterflies appeared in her stomach as he painfully slow let the back of his hand slide over her spine, his eyes staying on her skin. And when he finally reached the top, his blue eyes locked with hers in the mirror, tingles warming her back, her body already missing his touch. _

"_Done." He swallowed, pulling his eyes away from hers. _

"_Thank you." She pulled the bustier in place and turned around, her arm brushing the fabric of his shirt as she stepped out the changing room. _

"_Oh my god." Bonnie came running from the back of the store, holding her hands in front of her mouth. "This is the one."_

"_You think?" She studied herself in the mirror, seeing the layers of fabric draped around her. "It's huge."_

"_It's perfect." Bonnie rushed to her side and jumped up and down. "Stefan won't be able to keep his eyes off you."_

"_It's a beautiful dress." She smiled at herself in the mirror, twirling around before pausing her gaze on Damon. "What do you think?"_

"_It's a beautiful dress." He pushed himself off the wall and came to stand behind her, looking at her appearance in the mirror. "But not for you."_

"_What do you mean?" Bonnie glared at him. "It's perfect."_

"_Maybe for you." He rolled his eyes. "But the frills and the over the top..whatever. That isn't Elena."_

"_And I'll never be able to pull off a strapless dress." Elena bit her lip while looking at Bonnie's disappointed face._

"_You won't need to pull it off, it will fall off." Damon moved in front of her, pulling the bustier up. "Where are your boobs?"_

"_I hid them from you."_

"_You did a good job."_

"_What are you two talking about?" Bonnie threw her hands in the air. "It's perfect!"_

"_No it's not." Damon rolled his eyes. _

"_And why not?" Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. _

"_I'll show you why not."_

_Elena let out a scream as he put his hands under her buttocks and picked her up. She struggled against his shoulders, begging him to put her down while he only moved further. Bonnie followed them with narrowed eyes. Elena's screams stopped as she saw the whole shop glare at her. An embarrassed smile on her face as he threw her down on one of the long couches. _

"_There are too many layers." He grabbed her heels and pulled them around his waist, one on each side. "I don't know where I have to start looking."_

"_Looking for what?" Bonnie cocked her head to the side. _

"_Let's just say this dress is not wedding night friendly."_

_Elena rolled her eyes and kicked him under his knee, making him lose his balance and fall on top of her. Her breath hitched as his hands sunk into the leather of the couch next to her head, his face only an inch from hers. Her body trembled as she felt his hips push into hers, his chest moving against her breasts. _

_Her eyes looked up and stared into the ocean of blue, drowning in them. And as he gazed back at her, she couldn't help but to wonder how many women would kill to have a man look at them like that. Her heart squeezed as those words crossed her mind, she had a fiancé waiting for her at home, the reason why she should have pushed the man hovering above her off her minutes ago but as she kept staring into his blue orbs she could feel her hand that rested on his lower back pulling him further down, making his waist touch hers. _

"_If you wanted me on top of you, you could have asked."_

_His voice was husky, not the normal teasing tone she had expected. His eyes darkened as his body draped itself over hers, their stomachs touching, their legs entangled, the tip of his nose touching hers, their breaths breathed into the small space between their parted lips. _

"_Can you get off me?"_

_The words were barely a whisper, her eyes captivated in his gaze. Her hand doing the exact opposite and applying more pressure on his lower back, pushing his bulge between her legs through the fabric of the enormous white dress. _

"_You're the one that kicked my knee." _

"_I could have kicked elsewhere." _

"_Stay away from little Damon."_

"_Little Damon?" Her eyes shimmered dangerously. "Is he that little?"_

_He lowered his head, a devilish grin on his face, his breath tickling her ear. "Come to that changing room with me and I'll show you."_

_A gasp left her throat, shock appearing in her eyes as he pushed himself a bit higher and focused on her. She could see his eyes sparkle, something they always did whenever he was causing trouble. His lips were parted until he closed them and rolled his bottom lip in his mouth, biting it. The small movement set her body on fire, tingles appearing all over her skin, her breathing got heavier. For some reason it was the most erotic thing she had ever seen. _

_A fake cough brought her back to reality, her eyes snapping to the side and locking with Bonnie's brown orbs. Damon looked over his shoulder and cleared his throat, looking one last time at her before moving off her body. _

"_So what about the dress?" Bonnie's eyes lit back up in excitement. "Are you taking it?"_

"_No." She shook her head as she stood up straight. "I'm going to try another one."_

_Damon exchanged a look with her, giving her an approving nod before smirking at Bonnie. "I win."_

"_I'm going.." Bonnie started gathering her stuff. "It's clear you don't need me here."_

"_Bons.." She grabbed her friend's shoulder. "Of course I need you here, just ignore Damon."_

"_No it's not him." She waved her away. "I just had a crappy day and I'm sorry for being such a bitch. I'll be better once I had a good night of sleep."_

"_Okay." Elena rubbed her friend's arms. "I'll see you later."_

"_See you later." Bonnie hugged her tight. "Love you."_

"_Love you too." _

_Elena turned around, expecting to find Damon behind her with a smirk on his face but instead she turned around to unfamiliar people in the changing room. With a frown on her face she got back behind the curtain and started to undress._

"_Try this one."_

_Her head snapped up as she heard his voice from behind the curtain, she held the fabric of the previous dress in front of her bare upper body. A sigh of relief escaped her as she only saw his arm peeking inside the curtain, holding a dress with a halter neck and a red ribbon that accentuated the waist. She took it from him and slid into it, holding the back that was laced as a corset. _

_She peeked through the curtain, seeing him lounge in one of the couches. "Can you tie it?"_

_His eyes snapped back to hers, a small smile playing on his lips as he nodded and stood up. She stepped in front of the mirror and watched him take the laces in his hands, keeping his skin from hers. _

"_I think we found our dress." _

_A smile appeared on her face as she stared at the image in front of her. The fabric of the skirt draped around her legs, smooth as silk, the halter-top hugging her curves perfectly. Her eyes were taking in the one thing that made the picture even more beautiful. The blue-eyed man standing beside her, his eyes were roaming over her body in the mirror, his hands resting on her waist, heating her skin through the fabric. _

"_I know something I don't like about Stefan." She turned her head over her shoulder, locking her eyes with his. "His socks lie around whole the house, I don't like it."_

"_Can you be more shallow." He snorted. "Every man's socks lie around in the house."_

"_Okay.." She stammered, feeling her heart clench in her chest. "He sleeps with his shirt on, even after..we've.. made love."_

"_Better." He cocked his head to the side._

"_I just like it when I feel someone's skin against mine during the night, it makes me feel safe, more at home."_

_He nodded, for the first time since she met him two weeks ago, she saw his eyes soften, radiating warmth instead of the usual hard stare. A soft smile appeared on his face as he draped her hair to one side, exposing more of the dress. _

"_I think we found the one." He patted her bare shoulders. "Any man would marry you in this dress."_

"_Even you?" She smirked at him, knowing his aversion of marriage. _

"_No." He snorted, his eyebrows knitting together. "But I might turn monogamous."_

"_You're an ass." She chuckled and turned back to the mirror, seeing him smile. _

"_Don't tell my mom." He stage whispered. "I'm still her angel."_

"_Are you close with your parents?"_

"_I am with my mom."_

"_What about your dad?" Her gaze followed him as moved back in front of her, her eyes looking up at him. "Are you close with him?"_

"_I never knew him." His face hardened, while his eyes darkened. "He bailed on my mom before I was even born."_

"_I'm sorry." _

"_Don't be." He let out a hard laugh. "I can't blame him, he probably knew I was going to be screwed up."_

"_You're not screwed up." She cupped his face in her hands, boring her eyes into his. "You save lives every day."_

"_He didn't stay around long enough to know that." He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "He probably has a new family somewhere, with a model son and a wife that actually has money."_

"_He doesn't know what he's missing out on."_

_His eyes softened again as she gave him a small smile and stroked his cheek with her thumb, her eyes staying locked with his while she saw him lift the corner of his mouth._

"_I think you should invite me to your wedding." He wetted his lips with his tongue. "I did help you choose your dress."_

"_Sure." She shrugged. "Just so I can prove that Stefan is perfect and really the one for me." _

"_You know how you can recognize the one" He grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. "If he can do this."_

_Before she could ask what he was doing, he folded his hand over her mouth, keeping her from talking. His other hand rested on her stomach, his thumb stroking up and down through the fabric. His warm breath against her unveiled shoulder made butterflies appear in her stomach, her eyes rolled back in her head as he licked the skin between her shoulder and neck with the tip of his tongue, her back arching against his chest. As a moan escaped her lips he pulled his hand away from her mouth and placed in on her thigh, moving up and down with the white silk material between their skin. _

_Her body was begging for more while her head was screaming at her to push him away, her heart not knowing what it wanted. A growl escaped his chest as she grabbed his head and tangled her fingers in the raven hair; she leaned into his body, resting her head against his shoulder while he nibbled on the skin in her neck. _

_She had a fiancé waiting at home, who expected her to come home and wrap her arms around him, throw her legs around his waist and guide him to bed. But for some reasons making love to him had never felt like this, like you're body was on fire and he was the water you needed to put it out, only you didn't want to put it out because you knew that feeling that made your whole body tingle would be gone too. _

"_No one is perfect." His husky voice breathed in her ear. "Not even your precious fiancé."_

_She breathed heavy as he released her body from his spell. "I'm perfect."_

"_Not even you." He chuckled and sat down on one of the couches again. _

"_Oh no?" She put her hands on her hips, still panting from what he'd just done. "Tell me three things you hate about me."_

"_I'll tell you at the wedding." He smirked. "As your wedding present."_

"_Why do you want to come to the wedding so badly?" _

"_Because I love bridesmaids." _

"_You better stay away from my bridesmaids."_

"You better stay away from my bridesmaids."

Caroline turned to Damon who leaned against the doorframe, his blue eyes looking at Elena like they wanted to set her on fire, knowing damn well they could.

"Don't worry." He smirked, keeping his gaze on Elena. "I already had your maid of honor."

"I don't want to hear this." Caroline shielded herself from him with her hand and turned to her friend. "I'm taking a coffee break, coming?"

"I can't." She shrugged. "I have an appointment with Klaus."

"I'll bring you coffee." Caroline grabbed her bag and glared at Damon. "A strong one, you're going to need it."

She chuckled as her friend walked past Damon, making sure to bump into him. Her eyes went back to the papers on her desk, browsing through them.

"So do you already remember us?" He pushed himself off the frame and walked towards her. "Or are you still trying to block it all out?"

"I already told you." She looked up at him, ignoring her heart that started aching. "I don't want to remember us."

"I'm sure you will soon enough."

"Don't count on it." She looked back down, feeling her chest squeeze.

He turned around, walking back to the door before turning around again. "I'm sure they'll make you remember."

* * *

><p>"Elena." Klaus stood up from his chair to greet her. "Sit down, please."<p>

She shook his hand and sat down at the table, frowning at the people that were in the same room. Klaus sat down on her left while Damon sat on the other end of the table, his lawyer and best friend Alaric next to him. The other people at the table worked for the firm, they were the highest praised lawyers of Mystic Falls. Her heart started to beat faster as they all glared at her.

"Elena I'm sorry to inform you that we have a situation going on."

She turned her head around, looking at Klaus. "What situation?"

"It's about the case from five years ago." He pointed to Damon on the other side of the table. "The one you prepped Damon for."

"I remember." She nodded her head, glancing at Damon. "Did something go wrong?"

"You can say that." Klaus nodded his head, looking at the other lawyers in the room. "The prosecutor thinks you prepped him the wrong way."

"No." She shook her head. "I prepped him the same way as all the other witnesses."

"Did you?" Klaus cocked his head to the side. "We have a lawsuit on our hands so it's very important that you're honest."

"I am." She threw her hands up, exchanging a look with Damon.

"You're not Elena." Klaus stood up, pushing his chair back and walked to the plasma screen on the wall, with the push of a button it lit up.

Elena grabbed the arms of the chair as the sounds of the screen rushed in her ears, the two people on the screen burned her eyes. A body she knew better than her own moving above another one, the nails of the body under him scraping his back, pulling her legs tighter around his waist.

Tears started streaming down her cheeks as the squirming girl tangled her fingers through his black raven hair, her moans blasting through the speakers as the blue-eyed man on top of her roughly thrust into her.

"Turn it off."

Her voice was barely a whisper, her cheeks stained with tears, her hands gripping the arms of the chair for support. Her heart hurting, her soul tearing itself a part, her eyes looking for the blue-eyed man that had the same shocked expression on his face.

"Turn it off, please."

Every moment between those two lovers was now public knowledge, the talk of the firm. Every touch they had shared watched with hawk eyes, every word they ever whispered during those intimate moments heard by people who were never supposed to be part of the thing they had shared.

"Please, turn it off."

Her breathing got heavier, sobs making their way up out of the deepest part of her, her eyes looking for a comfort she could not find. A scream filling the room as her eyes locked on the screen with her own brown doe eyes.

"TURN IT OFF!"

She gripped the arms of the chair tighter, her body shaking against the back, her eyes following Damon who stood up and walked towards Klaus, dragging a chair with him.

"She said turn it off."

The screen of the plasma shattered into a million pieces as the leg of the chair came in contact with it. Damon's chest was heaving and his wide blue eyes were boring into Klaus's.

She pushed her chair backwards, finding the strength to get up and run out of the room. Her heart scattered into a million pieces again as she thought back about the images that she had once expected to be the rest of her life, to have countless more moments like that, her eyes filling up with new tears as she thought about when she had left those countless moments behind.

She stumbled into the storeroom, gripping the rails of the rack with books in her fists. Her body shocked as sobs came out of her throat. Her eyes kept the tears coming, fed by the cries of her soul.

"Lena."

She shook her head as she heard the voice behind her, the only voice that would be able to sooth her. She knew that and yet she couldn't bring herself to let him sooth her. She was broken, torn apart because she had loved him more than any person should love another.

She had let him in her life, holding her arms wide open so he could walk into them and stay there forever. Her heart had taken him in and closed every another man out because it knew that love was never going to be enough to feed it. She had been prepared to start her life with him, had begged him to never leave her so she could finally live the life she had never expected to want to live. With a man that was made for her, loved her more than himself, let her in his heart to reassure her that there would never be someone else for him.

"This is all your fault." Her teary eyes looked up at him, seeing the hurt cross his face. "You had to have me, you had to come in my life and destroy everything."

"You want to put this on me?" He arched his eyebrow, his eyes wide open. "Fine, go ahead. Deny yourself the truth once again."

"The truth?" She clenched her teeth together. "Since when are you all about honesty?"

"Says the one who cheated on her husband."

She nodded her head slowly, letting his words sink in. "At least I never ruined someone's life."

"I ruined your life?" He let out a hard laugh. "Your life was already ruined when I came in it, you just didn't realize it."

"What do you want me to say?" Her eyes went wide. "Thank you for making me realize it?"

"Thank you for putting up with my shit while you had better things to do."

"You got me in that shit." She shook her head at him.

"Keep telling yourself that."

"I will."

"I need a drink." He pinched the bridge of his nose, grabbing the handle behind him.

"Drink yourself into a coma."

"You really mean that, don't you?" His jaw tightened. "You'd rather see me dead than to admit you would be my wife by now if I hadn't made that one stupid mistake."

"That mistake made me realize I'd rather see you dead."

* * *

><p>"Elena, I'm sorry for calling you so late." Liz Forbes approached her in her sheriff uniform. "But you were the only one in his phone that we knew."<p>

"It's okay." She rubbed her forehead tiredly. "I couldn't sleep anyway."

"He's cooling off between bars." Liz started unlocking a door. "He got in a bar fight."

"How's he doing?" She stepped through the door and waited for Liz to lock it again.

"He has some scratches and a few bruises, they had to take the other guy to the hospital."

"How much alcohol was in his system?"

"We're still waiting for the results." Liz led the way. "But it's enough to keep an eye on him tonight."

She nodded and walked behind Liz, ignoring the glares from the other drunks that were standing behind the bars. A sigh escaped her as she saw Damon sitting in the corner, dried blood all over his face and hands; his black hair knotted together, his shirt torn.

"Someone's here to pick you up." Liz entered the cell and pulled him up.

She shook her head and stepped in the cell, grabbing his arm and draping it over her shoulder so he could lean on her. "Come on, boozy."

"Don't let him out of your sight tonight." Liz's voice was full of authority.

"I won't." She turned to Liz. "Do I have to sign something?"

"No, it's late." Liz held the door open for her. "Come back with him when he has to make his statement and we'll take care of the paperwork."

"Thanks Liz." She dragged Damon with her. "Good night."

"Lena." He snuggled his nose into her hair.

"Yeah, it's me." She pulled him forward, dragging him with her. "Let's get you home."

"You said I should drink myself into a coma."

"I didn't mean it." She squeezed his side. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He slurred, leaning more of his weight on her. "You came back."

"Yeah..I came back."

* * *

><p>"Let's clean you up." She rinsed the washing cloth in a bowl of water.<p>

"They know about us."

She nodded as she started stroking the cloth over his face, removing the blood. "They do."

"Where's your husband?"

"He's been gone for two days." A sad smile crossed her face. "He'll come back."

"Is it because of me?"

"He doesn't know you're here." She looked up at him, boring her eyes into his. "He didn't give me the chance to explain it to him."

"Why did you never come back to me?" His torn eyes bored into hers.

"Because I didn't want to."

"Did I really ruin your life?" His blue eyes searched her face for an answer.

"No." She shook her head. "You made it worth living."

"What are we going to do about it?" He shook his head, desperate. "They have everything on tape."

"Shh." She shook her head, pushing back her tears. "That's something we'll deal with tomorrow."

She pulled him up from the couch, holding his hand in hers, feeling the touch she had missed for years. Her body shivered as it remembered the skin from five years ago against hers, the one that could set her on fire while she was wearing a wedding dress to marry another man.

The door of the guest bedroom creaked as she pushed it open and dragged him in. With a light thud he fell on the bed, already snuggling his nose in the pillow. She smiled as she remembered how he used to do it all the time. With a sigh she pulled off his boots and placed them next to the bed, leaving his clothes for what they were.

She glanced one last time at him before pulling the door close behind her and walking to the master bedroom. She could still feel the tingles his skin had caused as she removed her clothes and snuggled in her nightwear.

The warmth of the bed closed around her as she snuggled in it, clutching the pillow against her head, thinking about the man that lay across the hallway, his blue eyes still holding her world, his body still the owner of hers, her heart still his, her soul still calling his name.

And as she lay there for a few minutes, she heard the door silently open, footsteps coming towards the bed, her heart beating in her chest, the mattress shifting under her, the warmth of another body radiating under the sheets.

He draped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, her back still fitting in his chest like it always had, made for it, their bodies made to collide and be one. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she allowed herself to think about five years ago when she had been in bed with him for the first time, the first time another man had slept against her besides her husband, the night she had cheated on her husband for the first time.

But tonight she would tell herself that Stefan had come home, that he had come to bed in the middle of the night and taken her in his arms. His skin had warmed hers and her legs had entangled with his.

But at the tears streamed faster down her cheeks, she knew she wouldn't be able to lie to herself because everything about her knew exactly who this person was. And when his lips pushed themselves against her cheek and let the tingle sensation from five years ago she felt her heart breaking, her soul needing to be one, her skin needing to touch his.

Her breathing became faster as she moved her fingers to the hem of her nightwear and slowly started pulling it upwards. He moved his arms so she could pull it over her head and throw it on the ground. When she lay back down she was met with the tingles against her back, warming her whole body. His arm was draped around her body, his skin touching her bare breasts.

She took his fingers between hers and squeezed them, just like she always did five years ago when he snuggled in her body in the midst of the night. Her heart drummed in her chest as he kept his lips against her body, their skins touching because she needed it, their fingers connected to stay one, their souls connecting to live the same life again.

Tomorrow she would be someone else's wife again, tonight she would cheat on him again, but her body would listen to its owner, her soul would have its other half and her heart would be home.

Tonight she would let them be what they once were.

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	4. Our souls collided once

Thank you Ashleigh for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 4

'Our souls collided once'

Elena's eyes started to flutter as the bright sunlight glanced through the dark curtains in the bedroom. A smile appeared on her face as she felt tingles spread over her skin, her soul feeling complete after a long time of being hollow, her heart not aching after many mornings filled with pain.

Those emotions all shattered to pieces when she turned her head over her shoulder and found the empty space next to her, the sheets cold, and the room silent. She cleared her throat, ignoring her heart that started aching again; accepting the disappointment that washed over her, admitting to herself that she had been stupid to expect anything else.

She couldn't stop the tears that escaped her eyes as she dressed and prepared herself for another day in a life she didn't want to live. That life became more and more realistic as she descended the stairs, hearing noises coming out the kitchen, pans being thrown around, pots being stirred.

And for a moment she let herself hope, for one minute she pictured the man she would find in the kitchen. His black hair pointing in all different directions, his chest bare, showing off his perfect abs. The black pants he'd be wearing hanging loosely on his hips, so low she would be waiting for the moment it revealed his well-formed bottom.

"Good morning."

Together with the smile on her face, the hope in her heart fell. Her soul closing itself off for the voice it had not been made to hear. Her body stiffened as it detected the green eyes it wasn't meant to obey.

"Look who decided to come home."

"I know. I'm sorry." Stefan stopped stirring and shook his head. "I just needed some time to think."

"So did you finally gather enough ideas to finish your book?"

"I wanted to talk to you about that." He pushed himself from the counter, approaching her. "I know things between us have been tense, and I know that most of it is my fault."

"It's not only your fault, Stefan." She shook her head, letting her arms fall beside her. "I get that you're worried but I made a mistake five years ago and you can't keep reminding me of it."

Her heart clenched together, knowing she had almost made that mistake again last night when she let that man in her bed. Only to wake up in the morning to a disappointment again, to live a life she had settled for.

"And I won't do it again; from now on I'll trust you." His green eyes bored into hers. "I know I can trust you and I want you to trust me too."

"What do you mean?" She arched her eyebrow at him. "You weren't the one who cheated."

"But you cheated because there was something missing in our relationship." He bit his lip. "You admired that I was a creative mind but I get that it becomes irritating when that mind doesn't produce anything."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"I have a business degree and I talked with my dad. I can start in his firm next week." He shrugged and laughed silently. "I think it will be good for the both of us if I go back to work."

"You've never worked before, Stefan." She rolled her eyes.

"But I'll start working now." He stared intensely at her. "This is going to be good for us."

And after everything he had forgiven her for, could she blame him for the flaws he had? The flaws that were only human? Her heart might belong to someone else, her soul might have another mate and her body might have another owner but her mind was still hers. A mind that controlled all those parts, had felt the pain of all those parts when she had been betrayed. The same mind that was now feeling the pain from every part of her, heart, soul and body that was screaming for comfort.

She had given her son a father because she knew it would be best for him. Her heart had felt so betrayed five years ago that she couldn't do anything other than think that she made a huge mistake. She came back and ran back into Stefan's arm because she had been young, naive, a girl that was scared to walk alone through life. Someone that thought she couldn't live without a man beside her. And she had been right; he was a good person, a good influence on her son and a good husband to her. Why would she let that go for a dream?

"Okay."

"Yes?" His green eyes shimmered while he cupped her face in his hands. "Are we starting over?"

"Yes." She nodded her head. "We'll start over."

"So wife." He pecked her lips softly. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Sounds good."

* * *

><p>"Good morning."<p>

"You're late." Caroline glared at her.

"I'm sorry." She bit her lip. "But Stefan made breakfast."

"So he's finally back home?" Caroline put her hands on her hips. "Took him long enough."

"Tell me about it." She rolled her eyes. "He suddenly feels this need to be a better man and find a job and trust me in everything I do."

"And what do you think about it?"

"I want to believe him and I want our marriage to work." She came closer to Caroline and lowered her voice. "He's the only father Liam has ever known and he's a great father to him, I don't want to rip that away from my son."

"Hunnie." Caroline rubbed her arm. "You have to think about Liam but if you're going to be miserable, he's only going to become unhappy too. Kids feel those things."

"I'm not miserable." She rolled her eyes when Caroline gave her a look. "Fine, I was when I first came back but I'm fine now and Liam is happy too, that's what matters."

"Elena, Damon is here..." Caroline shrugged. "If you want to make things right, this is your chance."

"No." She shook her head fiercely. "Not after what he did."

"Elena.."

"I don't want to talk about." She held her hand up. "I just can't. Not today."

"Mommy!"

Elena's head snapped around as she recognized the voice from her son that ran into the office. His chestnut hair a mess, his shirt stained, his face carrying a huge smile, his blue eyes shimmering.

"Hi buddy." She wrapped her arms around his small frame and pecked his cheek. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too mommy." He snuggled his face in her hair. "Can you and daddy stop fighting, please?"

"We'll stop fighting." She stroked his back, pressing him tighter against her. "You can come home soon."

"Okay."

"Elena."

Caroline's voice made her look up, her chin pointing to the glass that separated their offices. Her breath hitched as she saw Damon approach, Klaus walking next to him and pointing to their office. Tyler's head snapped around too, seeing the panic in the two women's eyes.

"Buddy." He patted Liam's head. "Do you want to feed the ducks in the park?"

"You need bread to feed them, uncle Ty." He rolled his eyes.

"So we'll get bread on the way." Tyler shrugged, looking over his shoulder.

"You're supposed to give the ducks old bread."

"Look who's being a smarty pants." Caroline crouched down next to him.

"My pants doesn't look so smart." Liam scoffed, his forehead wrinkling in a cute expression.

"What happened to you?" Elena exclaimed, for the first time noticing what he was wearing.

"I'll tell you." He crossed his arms and glared at Tyler. "You know when a driver takes a really wild turn and you're shouting really bad words at him. Well, uncle Ty took a turn like that so I spilled all my ice cream over me."

"And where did you get those pants from?" Caroline's forehead wrinkled.

"They were in my truck." Tyler shrugged. "It was the only decent thing he could wear."

"Tyler." Elena stood up, hugging her son against her leg. "Take him out of here."

"Come on, champ." He picked Liam up from the ground and put him on his shoulders. "We're going to talk to the ducks."

"Do you speak ducks, uncle Ty?"

Elena and Caroline chuckled as they heard Liam's chipper voice disappear from the room. That chuckle quickly disappeared as they saw the men enter the office, his black hair messy; his usually shimmering blue eyes now dull, surrounded by dark circles and a pale skin.

"Seems like you didn't get any sleep tonight." Caroline huffed, straightening her shoulders. "Been busy?"

"Actually yes I have been." His blue eyes glared at her, glancing at Elena. "I didn't get much sleep."

"What?" Elena crossed her arms over her chest. "Wasn't the bed comfortable?"

She flinched at her own bluntness, her eyes boring into his, daring him to say what she desperately wanted to keep between them. Her heart squeezed together again as she thought about this morning when she had woken up alone, still feeling the after effects from his presence, her skin tingling and warm, her soul and heart complete. Her whole being satisfied.

"We need to talk." His blue eyes bored into hers.

"No." She shook her head and turned around, walking to her desk. "We have absolutely nothing to talk about."

"Lena." He grabbed her arm, making her turn around.

"Nothing happened last night." She lowered her voice so Caroline couldn't hear them. "And thank god for that because I would only regret it now."

"Le..."

"Could you all join me in my office?" Klaus voice interrupted whatever he was going to say.

She nodded at Klaus and pulled her arm out of his grasp, staring daggers at him. He moved out of the way so she could walk past him and enter Klaus's office followed by Caroline and Damon.

Alaric patted Damon's shoulder as he sat down beside him. "Rough night?"

"_Rough night?"_

_She stopped knocking as he pulled the door open. His eyes rolling as he saw who was standing behind it with two coffees in her hand. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed._

"_What are you doing here?"_

"_We had an appointment two hours ago." She pushed the hot coffee against his bare chest. "I guess you could say I'm here as your wake up call."_

"_If I wanted a wake up call I would have asked the hotel for one."_

"_Get ready." She walked past him, pushing the door further open and walking into the room._

"_Elena." He growled. "You can't just walk into my hotel room."_

"_Didn't stop you from walking into my life, Salvatore."_

_She paused as she saw the naked girl spread over the bed, her thighs covered with the sheets, her hair knotted together on the pillow, goosebumps on her bare back. For some reason she felt her heart sting in her chest, a weave of jealousy rushing over her._

"_I'm…sorry." She stammered and turned back to him. "I didn't realize you had company."_

"_You didn't give me the time to explain."_

"_So I guess I'll wait in the hallway." She started walking past him, only to be trapped by his arms._

"_Don't be polite now." His hot breath made her skin tingle. "I'm always up for a trio."_

"_You're disgusting." She pushed her way free out of his grasp. "You can't say such things when your girlfriend is in the bed next to us."_

"_Girlfriend?" His eyebrow arched, a smirk appearing on his face. "I know you're young but you must have heard about a one-night stand."_

"_What?" She shook her head in confusion. "You're only going to see her once?"_

"_Twice gets boring." He shrugged indifferently. "I like to keep life interesting."_

"_So what are you going to tell her once she wakes up?"_

"_That's why I'm so glad you're here." He pulled a black shirt over his head. "It means I won't have to face her when she wakes up."_

"_You're just going to leave her here?" She struggled against him as he started pulling her out of the room. "Don't you have any respect for human beings?"_

"_I showed her how much respect I had for the human anatomy last night." He waggled his eyebrows. "I'm sure she won't mind."_

"_Can you be even more disgusting?"_

"_I can." He pulled the door close and pushed her against it, trapping her body with his. "Do you want me to show you?"_

"_No, thank you."_

_Her eyes took in his face, still mesmerized by his beauty. Her brown orbs drowned in the ocean of blue. Her body started tingling as he pushed himself a bit closer, leaving less space between their skins. And as she looked at his devilish smile she couldn't help but chuckle._

"_Hello there." He pushed his finger against her lips. "I almost thought I wasn't going to see that smile today."_

_She parted her lips and bit his finger playfully, making him pull it back. "Good morning to you too, man whore."_

"_I'm going to punish you for that." He pulled the coffee she had been holding out of her hands. "No coffee for you."_

"_Give that back." She ran after him as he started running away. "I brought you your own coffee."_

"_I forgot it in my room." He called over his shoulder, sipping on her coffee. "And you know how I get without coffee."_

"_Damon." She grabbed his jacket, making him run slower. "Give me the coffee back."_

"_We'll share." He draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her against his side._

"_I don't want to share." She pouted, wrapping her arms around his waist._

"_So much sugar. This is such a girly coffee."_

"_Last time I checked I was a girl."_

"_I know. I've seen your boobs once they came out of hiding."_

"_You asshole." She punched her fists against his shoulder, making him chuckle._

"_I've seen a piece of your ass." He waggled his eyebrows. "It wasn't that bad."_

"_You're impossible!"_

_She threw her head back with laughter, keeping her fists against his body, her whole mood lightening now it was just the two of them again. She had started savoring these moments where they could hang out as friends, no work, no obligations, away from Klaus and his hawk eyes, and away from all the stress that the wedding brought. He had become her escape, an escape she welcomed with open arms._

"_Stop punching me." He threw the coffee in a bin. "That's what you've got your fiance for."_

"_He isn't into kinky." She jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Not everyone is a sex god like you, Salvatore."_

"_Is that why you're jumping me?" He chuckled and hooked his arms under her knees. "Isn't Steffie giving you any?"_

"_He's giving me plenty." She rested her chin on his shoulder. "My feet are just killing me; I had to walk all the way here from work because you didn't show up."_

"_I'm sorry, I didn't hear the alarm."_

"_And your companion didn't either?" She glared at the back of his head, feeling a pang of jealousy in her chest. "She isn't the first one, is she?"_

"_Sometimes a man just needs to get laid." He patted the side of her knee. "I don't have to answer to anyone so why wouldn't I enjoy it?"_

"_I just don't get how you can do it." Her eyebrows knitted together. "It's something special between two people who love each other and you just do it because you're bored."_

"_How many men did you have, Elena?" He turned his head to the side. "Stefan is probably your only one, isn't he?"_

"_That's what makes it so special. He's the only one I share that with."_

"_But what if you meet someone else? Someone better that sweeps you off your feet." He shook his head. "Are you going to let him walk by because you only want one lover in your life?"_

"_I'm getting married Damon, I already found my lover."_

"_I don't think you did." He shrugged. "I think you love him but I don't think he's the one for you."_

"_You haven't even met him."_

"_But I've met you." He sighed and balanced her on his back. "And you're not acting crazy enough for him to be the one."_

_She stared at the side of his face, her eyes scanning the dark hairline, her nose snuggling into his neck, inhaling his smell, drowning in it. For some reason she was surrounded by his scent, it was in her nose all day, not only because he was always around her but even at night when she crawled next to her fiance in bed and snuggled her nose in his chest, flinching because he didn't share the same scent that made her whole body tingle._

"_I need coffee." She whined and kicked her legs against his. "We're getting too serious."_

"_Well, we both had a rough night."_

"_I know your definition of a rough night."_

"I know your definition of a rough night."

"It wasn't that kind of a rough night." Damon rolled his eyes at Alaric. "They paged me in the middle of the night for an emergency; I've been operating for thirteen hours straight."

Her eyes snapped up to meet his as he spoke the words, hearing the reason why he had left her behind in the middle of the night. Memories of five years ago coming back to her, him sneaking out of bed in the middle of the night to save another human life. She remembered those mornings when she would wait in bed until noon because she didn't want to get up without him next to her. When he finally did come back he would crawl back in bed and she would wrap her arms around him, holding him all day while he slept in her embrace.

"Everyone sit down please." Klaus entered the room with his team of lawyers behind him.

She pulled her eyes away from Damon's, feeling her heart ache in her chest while she was studied by all the other eyes in the room. She took a deep breath and felt Caroline squeeze her thigh under the table, trying to give her some kind of comfort.

"Elena." Klaus folded his hands together on the table. "We've discussed this situation and we've come to a decision."

Her heart drummed in her chest, filling the silence in the room. She could be punished for loving a man more than herself. They could ruin her career because she hadn't been strong enough, not faithful enough to resist someone that was made for her. To fight against a body that fitted perfectly in hers, a soul that was the other part of hers.

"We've come to the conclusion that you invaded the investigation and that you had an influence on the outcome of the results through your relationship with Mr. Salvatore who was a key witness in this lawsuit. Thereby our firm sues you for the intern obstruction of an investigation and mixing your interests in Mr. Salvatore into the case for your own benefit."

She stared blankly at Klaus who gave her a polite smile. Her breathing got a lot heavier as she looked around in the room, seeing the smug smirks from all the lawyers around the table. Damon staring at her, his lips parted like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.

"I'm afraid I have to ask you to clean your desk and leave the building." Klaus cleared his throat. "As from this day you do no longer work for our firm, Miss Gilbert."

"What?" Damon punched his fist on the table, looking up at Klaus with wide eyes. "You can't fire her because she slept with me."

"Actually I can." Klaus turned to him. "The company's policy is clear, relationships with a client are forbidden. She may have exchanged valuable information with you that influenced your decision."

"All we did was fuck each other's brains out like a couple of bunnies on steroids."

"I'm sorry but our rules are clear, Miss Gilbert agreed to them when she signed her contract." Klaus stood up and walked to the door, giving her one last look. "It was a pleasure to have you with us."

Her head fell in her hands as the sobs came from somewhere deep inside of her. She felt Caroline's arm wrap around her, quietly rocking her in her embrace. Another pair of hands settled on her knees, a forehead resting against them. And as she lifted her head up and opened her eyes she could see the black mess resting against her knees, his face directed to the ground.

"Stop blaming yourself." She wrapped her arms around his shoulder, pushing her face next to his. "We did nothing wrong."

"You were right." His hot breath warmed the side of her face. "I ruined your life."

"No." She sat straight up and pulled his head up, cupping his face between her palms. "Don't you ever think that. You saved me."

"Not without destroying something."

"It was worth it." She stroked his cheek with her thumb, boring her teary eyes in his ocean of blue.

"It's probably best if we stay away from each other during the trial." He let out a hard chuckle. "Before they sue you a second time."

"I won't even have the money to pay for the first one." She buried her face in her hands again. "How am I going to pay for a second one?"

"Don't worry about it." He rubbed her back, his voice low. "I got you in this mess, I'll pay to get you out of it."

"Everyone will know." She looked up at Caroline, not able to look in the blue-eyed man's gaze. "My mom, my dad, everyone who lives in this town will know I'm a cheater."

She felt Damon's hand on her thigh stiffen, his breathing getting heavier into the silent room only filled with her sobs. Her heart ached in her chest as she saw him stand up in the corner of her eye and walk out of the door.

"Everything I had with him will now become the talk of the town." She squeezed Caroline's hand in hers. "Everything I tried so hard to protect..."

"It's okay, Elena." Caroline crouched beside her. "I'll be here for you and Bonnie too, we'll help you through this."

"Bonnie doesn't even know about Damon." Her voice pitched. "I never told her because I knew she would judge me."

"Did you tell your mom?"

"No." She shook her head. "I never told anyone except for you and Stefan. What if they find out about Liam?"

"They won't." She rubbed her arm. "They're just going to investigate what was going on between you and Damon. And once they figure out it was nothing you'll get your job back."

"It was not nothing, Caroline."

"I know that." The blonde sighed. "But you know what I mean."

"I know…I'm sorry." She wiped the tears out of her eyes. "I just want to go home."

"You know what?" Caroline's blue eyes bored into hers. "I'll pack your stuff for you and when we drop Liam off tonight I'll bring it with me."

"Actually." She looked up, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "Could Liam stay with you for one more night?"

"Of course he can." Caroline nodded fiercely. "It's football anyway so he'll probably want to watch with Tyler."

"Thank you." She whispered. "I just… I need to say goodbye."

* * *

><p>Her heart beat filled the empty hallway, with the red carpet that stared at her like it still remembered the last time she was here, why she had been here. Her body tingled with nerves that spread all over her body as a young couple stumbled out of the elevator and into their room. She took a deep breath and gathered all her strength, replaying the moments she had with him in her mind, feeling them reflecting all the way to her heart. With a sigh she knocked on the heavy wooden door, flinching when it made more sound than she had anticipated.<p>

Her hands clenched into fists next to her, trying to find strength in her body, trying to radiate it to her heart, knowing it would never want to leave its owner.

The door flew open, the light from inside the room shining into her eyes. His blue eyes widening as he saw who was standing in front of him.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"I just…" She pointed to nowhere before gathering her strength. "So it really was an emergency?"

"It was." He leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "You can check at the hospital."

"No." She chuckled and shook her head. "I believe you."

An awkward silence fell between them as he nodded his head and she kept her gaze on him. Picturing the life she would have had if he hadn't made that one stupid mistake. She would probably be standing next to him now, her arms around him, their souls still entangled like they used to be. Liam would be playing with his toys, calling for his daddy to come play with him. She would watch them and everything would be perfect, her body would be satisfied, her soul would be complete and her heart would be home.

"I would have woken up next to you." His blue eyes were soft, radiating warmth into hers. "If they hadn't called me."

"Stefan came home this morning." She swallowed back the lump in her throat. "So maybe it was best you weren't there."

"I can't believe you're still with him." He huffed, shaking his head slowly. "And that you have a son together."

"What did you think I would do after you betrayed me?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "That I would wait for you until you begged me to take you back. I wouldn't have done it Damon, what you did..."

"I know." He bit his lip, looking down at the ground. "I just hoped you would have left him and stood on your own two feet…been a lawyer by now."

"We both know I won't pass the bar."

"You can't pass it if you don't try."

He shook his head, his whole body stiff with the anger he was holding back. Her breath got heavier again, more frantically trying to reach for oxygen while his hands balled into fists on his sides.

"What happened to all your dreams, Elena?" He spat at her. "You had so many of them but you're still here in this godforsaken town."

"I was going to live them with you." Her eyes filled up with tears. "My dreams disappeared together with you."

His face softened, the features becoming more familiar again. The dreams she once had rushing through her mind. The places they would visit, the things they would do, the adventures they would experience. Her life would become what she always wanted, the job she always wanted. He would help her study for the bar, drive her there, wait for her to pass and take her in his arms when she walked out of the room with a huge smile on her face. But those dreams had died long ago, the bitter taste of them still lingering in the strings of her heart.

"I'm sorry." His eyes filled with remorse. "I just thought..."

"You thought I would travel through Europe without you?" Her voice pitched. "That was our dream, not just mine."

"You were the one who left, Elena." He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "You were the one who gave up on those dreams."

"You made me leave." She whispered. "You didn't ruin my life but you ruined us."

"Lena..."

"Do you never wonder how we could be now?" She looked up at him, the tears rolling over her cheeks. "Because I do, every day. Every morning I wake up and look at the man beside me and I wonder why I'm still there. Why I'm not with you and why I don't live that life with you."

"Then come back." His blue eyes went wide open. "We can be us again."

"No." She shouted. "I don't trust you anymore."

"And I'm supposed to trust the woman who cheated on her husband?"

"I did it because of you, you idiot."

She punched her fists against his bare chest, trying to punch all her anger inside of him, making him feel how much he had hurt her. Making him realize that this was what she was going through every day, like there were fists punching her heart to keep it aching for him.

"Because I loved you."

Her body fell limp in his arms, his strong arms wrapping around her tiny frame, her fists giving up the fight and melting against his warm skin. Her whole body seemed to calm down once she felt his touch again, the familiar skin pushing against hers, bringing her home again.

"I loved you so much."

"It's okay." He placed a kiss against her forehead. "You're okay."

She buried her face in his chest, sobs coming out of her throat. She let out a gasp as he put his hands under her bottom and picked her up, carrying her into the room. With a light thud he placed her on the bed, pushing the sheets back so she could crawl under them.

"Don't leave." She pulled on his arm as he tried to get away from the bed.

"I won't leave." He crouched down next to her. "I'm just getting you something to sleep in."

"I don't need anything." She sat up and started removing her clothes, gazing at him. "I like it better when your skin's against mine."

"Okay."

He turned off the light and walked to the other side of the bed, crawling under the sheets. She turned on her side and waited for him to scoot closer until she was wrapped in his arms. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her legs entangled with his, her cheek resting against his shoulder, her heart beating against the other one.

"I missed you for so long." He pressed a kiss against her forehead. "And then this one day I realized you weren't coming back."

"You know what I thought when Caroline called me to tell me that you came back?" She let out a sad laugh. "I thought you came back for me."

"I did."

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	5. Lost along the way

Thank you Ashleigh for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 5

_'Lost along the way'_

"_I did."_

"What are you talking about?" She pushed herself up, locking her eyes with his. "Caroline told me you had to come back for the case."

"I had to come back for the case. But I thought you might be ready now."

"Ready for what?" She started pulling away from him, her eyes scanning his face nervously. "Ready for what, Damon?"

"For us." His blue eyes bored into hers. "When you left I made myself promise that I would give you time before I came after you. I knew you wouldn't forgive me right away."

"You think I already forgave you?" She turned around, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "We will never be that again, I'm married."

"You were married the last time, Elena. Nothing kept you from cheating on him then."

"And I was wrong." She stood up, finding her clothes on the ground. "I'm married and you were a mistake."

"Then what are you doing here?" He threw the covers off of him, sitting up with wide eyes. "Why did you come here tonight and crawled into bed with me?"

She let her eyes travel over his naked chest, feeling her skin ache to have it against hers again. Her heart started beating more frantically just with the thought of having him against her, his sculptured chest against hers, his arms wrapped around her, his whole body possessing hers. She needed him, body, mind and soul. Every part of her screamed for him now she was standing next to the bed and everything she was crying for was just a few footsteps away from her.

"Because it feels good to have you with me." She swallowed back the lump in her throat and shook her head. "But it's so wrong."

"You still don't have a backbone, do you?" His blue eyes traveled over her face. "You're still doing what everyone expects you to do."

"I make my own choices."

"You never did." He stood up from the bed, his eyes shooting blue fire. "You weren't ready for marriage. You only married him because he wanted to get married and everyone expected you to."

"I married him because I loved him."

"You married him because you were scared he would leave you if you didn't." He threw his arms up, coming closer to her. "Is that why you went back to him after you left me? Because you were scared to be alone?"

"I made a mistake and I was lucky that he forgave me and took me back." She shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I make a terrible wife."

"_I make a terrible wife."_

_He turned his head away from the lips that were plastered against his, looking at the girl in the hallway that had her back pressed against the wall, her legs stretched out in front of her. The rabbit ears on her head hanging limp, the rest of the white fluffy bunny suit next to her on the ground._

"_Elena?"_

"_I'm going to be the most terrible wife ever." Her teary eyes looked up at him, searching for his face. "Who wants to marry me?"_

"_I think it's better if you go home." He focused on the blond girl in front of him and entangled his body from hers._

"_Is she okay?" The green eyes of the blonde looked at Elena who was back to sobbing in her hands._

"_Cold feet." He rolled his eyes and shook his head at Elena. "She's getting married tomorrow."_

"_Good luck with that."_

_He sighed as the blonde turned around and walked back into the elevator, leaving him behind with the sobbing mess in the hallway._

"_What are you all dressed up for?" He sat beside her and investigated the white bunny suit._

"_They made me sell carrots with this on." She pointed to the white ears on her head. "What kind of bachelorette party is that?"_

"_The kind Caroline organizes." He chuckled softly and bumped her shoulder with his. "Did you sell a lot of them?"_

"_No." She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Who wants to buy carrots at midnight from a crazy lady?"_

"_A drunk crazy lady." He smirked as he saw her hazy eyes. "How did they get a nice girl like you drunk?"_

"_They made me do a shot for every carrot I didn't sell."_

"_How many shots did you do?"_

"_I lost count."_

"_Not good."_

"_I'm going to be a terrible wife." She shook her head, burying her face in her hands. "I can't even show up sober at the wedding."_

"_Oh, you'll be sober." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in his side. "You'll just be hung-over."_

"_I can't cook." She curled up next to him, hugging his arm. "Who wants a wife that can't cook?"_

"_There's always take out."_

"_I suck at sorting out my laundry too." She buried her face against his arm, sobbing. "What's he going to think if his underwear is suddenly pink?"_

"_That he should wear black underwear like every man in his twenties."_

"_You're not helping." She threw her arms up, more tears running down her cheeks. "You're not making me feel better."_

"_Elena, he loves you." He rubbed her arm, trying to soothe her. "A good wife is someone who stands behind her man and supports him in anything he does. It doesn't matter that you can't cook or that his underwear turns out pink. It won't make him love you any less."_

"_No?" _

"_Well, cooking always helps I guess..."_

"_I hate you." She punched her fists against his chest, making him chuckle. "You're the worst friend ever."_

"_Come on, boozy." He got up, holding his hand out for her. "Let's get inside before you wake up the whole hotel."_

_She took his hand, letting him pull her up. When she lost her balance, he wrapped his arm around her waist, unlocking the door with his other hand. He opened the door and guided her inside the dark room, placing her down on the bed._

"_Do Caroline and Bonnie know where you are?"_

"_No."_

"_I'm going to give them a call." He sighed, searching Caroline's name in his phone. "Why don't you look for something to watch on the television."_

"_They're playing Hannah Montana reruns."_

_He rolled his eyes at her knowledge and listened to Caroline's rambling on the phone, keeping his eyes on Elena who had her blank gaze pointed at the screen. When Caroline finally said goodnight, he threw his phone on the night table and sat down on the bed._

"_You're going to stay here tonight. No one is sober enough to drive."_

"_Whatever." She shrugged, turning on her side in the bed._

"_Do you need anything?"_

_She shook her head, unbuttoning her blue blouse. He arched his eyebrow at her as she took it off with her tank top, revealing her naked chest to him. With a gasp he turned away, hearing her unzip her pants under the sheets._

"_Elena." His hands clawed the sheets beneath him. "Are you sure you don't want a shirt?"_

"_You're a doctor." She breathed, throwing her pants on the floor. "You've seen this a thousand times."_

"_Man first, doctor second." He looked over his shoulder, seeing her sit up straight with hardened nipples. "Cover yourself up."_

_He turned back around with a sigh and heard her move behind him, the fabric of the sheets stirring under him. When he looked back over his shoulder, she lay under the covers, her bare shoulders and arms exposed to the air._

"_You're seriously going to do this to me?"_

"_What's the problem?" She slurred, her eyes fluttering. "You sleep next to naked woman all the time."_

"_You're going to regret this in the morning." He shook his head. "Just pull something on."_

"_Am I that ugly?" Her eyes welled up with tears. "So ugly that a man whore doesn't even want to see me naked?"_

"_You think I don't want to see you naked?" He arched his eyebrow, leaving out a hard laugh. "Don't ever think that."_

"_Prove it." She threw the covers off her, exposing her breasts to him. "Prove to me that I'm not ugly."_

"_Elena, you're drunk and you don't know what you're saying." He pulled the covers back over her. "You're only going to be embarrassed in the morning."_

"_That's why men never hit on me in the bar, isn't it?" Tears started running down her cheeks again. "I'm ugly. Nobody wants me."_

"_You wouldn't have a fiance if nobody wanted you."_

"_I've only had sex with one person in my whole life." She shook her head, her lip trembling. "That's why you don't look at me like you look at other girls."_

"_How do I look at other girls?"_

"_Like you want to rip their clothes off and fuck them like there is no tomorrow."_

"_You think I don't look at you that way?"_

_A gasp left her throat as he pushed her back down against the mattress, his body hovering above hers. His eyes devouring her naked chest, hungry, darkened, widened, filled with lust. The sobs stopped as she placed her hand on his back, pushing his lower body into hers, feeling him against her, every nerve in her body tingling in anticipation._

"_You're right." His husky voice cut through the sound of her beating heart. "I don't look at you that way because you deserve so much better."_

"_Touch me."_

_His blue eyes darkened even more, radiating a black heath into her wide brown orbs. A sigh of contentment left her as he placed his palm against her cheek, stroking her skin with his thumb. She slowly placed her hand on his, intertwining their fingers. Her heart started beating faster as she gently started pulling his hand down with hers, leaving a trail of warmth behind on her skin. Her eyes stayed locked with his blue orbs as she guided him over her throat to the crook of her neck, stopping at her collarbone before squeezing his fingers with hers and settling his hand on her bare breast. She massaged the back of his hand, automatically massaging her breast underneath his palm, setting a rhythm that he continued when she left his hand and let her palm trail upwards on his arm, over his shoulder and stroking all the way down to the small of his back._

_She could see the moment he gave in, the sigh that left his lips, his mouth kissing the space between her breasts. His hands discovering her whole body for the first time, the tips of his fingers remembering every surface. He pecked his way down to her stomach and left a trail of kisses while her fingers found a home in the raven black hair, pushing him closer against her._

_She arched her back as his nails scraped her sides, hungry for more. Her eyes looked up and locked with the blue orbs as he sat up, searching her face. With trembling fingers she started to unbutton his black shirt, exposing his smooth chest to the cold air. She became more and more impatient by the second and finally settled for ripping the rest of the buttons off the shirt._

_His lips parted as he hovered above her, keeping himself up on his arms, his hands resting next to her head. She felt his breath on her face as he lowered himself slowly, giving her enough time to pull away. Shivers ran down her spine as his lips finally touched hers, gently pushing themselves harder and harder against each other._

_With a moan she welcomed him, tangling her fingers in his hair, begging him for more with the movements of her lips. Their lips moved in synch like they had practiced this a thousand times before, there wasn't any hesitation or awkwardness that usually came with a first kiss but everything was filled with hunger, sparkles, fireworks, passion._

_She had never understood the movies where two lovers were desperate to feel each other, kiss each other, and hold each other. Until he came into her life she thought that the cravings were all fiction, that she would never feel that way. That there would never be someone who made her heart beat faster just by the sight of him, that completed her soul with his arrogant, sarcastic self. Someone that could make her complete in soul, mind and body just by being him._

_She wrapped her legs around him, pushing him firmer into her, holding him into place. Her tongue moved with his, feverishly exploring the contours of his mouth. Hungry kisses became soft pecks as both their chests were panting against each other, their hearts beating in their throats, their bodies begging each other for more._

"_We have to stop this."_

_His blue eyes bored into hers as his parted lips breathed against her mouth, their noses still touching. Her eyes searched his face as he abruptly moved off her and threw his legs over the edge of the bed, burying his face in his palms._

"_No, we don't."_

_She got up on her knees, crawling behind him, her hands sliding over his bare back up to his shoulders and over his arms, finally settling around his waist. She left a trail of kisses on his bare shoulder, nibbling on his neck. He responded by cocking his head to the side so she could reach the skin there better and caress it with her tongue. Her palm slid down his stomach, feeling the muscles under her skin. Her fingers went for the button of his pants when his hand grabbed hers._

"_Stop it. You're getting married." He took her chin in a firm grip. "Go to sleep."_

"_You're so pretty." She whispered hoarsely, her eyes roaming over his body. "The prettiest man I've ever seen."_

_He chuckled, pushing her body away from his. "You're drunk and I'm not pretty. Gorgeous, beautiful, yes. But not pretty."_

"_And you're funny even if I don't want to admit it."_

"_At least not when you're sober."_

"_I like spending time with you." She lay back down on her pillow, snuggling her nose in it. "Sometimes when I don't see you for a few days I start missing you."_

_His eyes softened, looking over his shoulder at the young girl in his bed. Her eyes were wide open, boring into his. Her parted lips swollen from his kisses, her chest still bare but covered with the white comforter, the picture of innocence. He lay on his side beside her, keeping his eyes on her face._

"_Go to sleep, Elena." He stroked a few pieces of hair out of her face. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow."_

"_I hate it when you spend time with other girls." She scooted closer to him, placing her ear on his chest. "I get so jealous when I see another girl with you."_

"_They don't mean anything to me." He pressed a kiss against her forehead. "They're just here for my entertainment."_

"_Am I here for your entertainment?" Her teary brown eyes looked up at him. "What do I mean to you, Damon?"_

"_You're my girl." He stroked her hair softly. "I'll hurt whoever tries to hurt you."_

"_My stomach does weird things when I'm around you." She chuckled softly against his chest. "Like a little dwarf is doing flip-flops in my belly."_

"_Go to sleep boozy." He tightened his grip on her body. "I have enough material now to torment you for the rest of your life."_

"_Damon?"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_I don't feel so good."_

_She pulled free out of his embrace and jumped over him, finding her way to the bathroom were she emptied her stomach in the toilet. It wasn't long before she felt him sit behind her, holding her hair backwards._

"_I'm sorry." She sat up again, resting her forehead against the cold toilet._

"_It's okay." He rubbed her back. "I'm glad you made it to the toilet."_

_She chuckled softly as she let her head rest. He reached for one of his button-ups on the counter and draped it over her bare back, grateful that she had kept her black panties on. She slid in the sleeves and buttoned it up before leaning over the toilet as she felt another wave of nausea take over._

"_I've never been drunk before."_

"_Never?" He cradled her against his chest as she leaned away from the toilet. "What kind of youth did you have?"_

"_A responsible one."_

"_It's a good thing you didn't hang out with me then." He chuckled softly. "I would have pulled you to the dark side."_

"_You pulled me to the dark side; this is all your fault." She punched his chest. "Besides you were already old when I was a teenager."_

"_I'm not old." He scoffed. "Even if I am, at least I'm still enjoying my life."_

"_You're turning thirty in a few months. You're officially old." She snuggled her nose in his chest, breathing in his scent. "And I am enjoying my life, just not the way you are."_

"_Getting married when you're twenty is not what I call enjoying life." He snorted, shaking his head. "You're settling."_

"_What do you know about marriage?" She rolled her eyes. "You don't let a woman stay around longer than a few hours."_

"_They served their purpose after a few hours."_

"_You're horrible." She traced patterns on his bare chest. "You talk about women like they're toys."_

"_Only if they let themselves be treated like toys."_

"_Am I a toy?" She looked up at him with her wide brown eyes. "Do you think I don't have any self-respect?"_

"_You're not a toy, Elena." He rolled his eyes, taking her firmer in his arms. "You're trying to make something out of your life and you're going to be a great wife to whatever his name may be."_

"_Stefan." She punched his chest. "His name is Stefan and he has the same last name as you, which is weird."_

"_I know."_

"_You really think I'm going to be a good wife?"_

"_You're the best wife anyone could wish for."_

"You're the best wife anyone could wish for." He shook his head tiredly. "It's been five years and he still hasn't finished that book, most women would have kicked him out by now."

"A good wife supports her husband and stands behind him." She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. "You were the one who told me that."

"You were so drunk that I didn't think you would remember anything I said."

"I remember it and I think it was a good advice." She let out a sigh. "Even if usually your advice sucks."

"You think it sucks because you never want to face the truth." He took a step closer again, letting less space between their bodies. "You always do whatever your friends or family tell you to do and I always told you to make your own choices, that's why you hated my advice. Because I actually made you think about what you wanted."

"You made me confused."

"And you should be confused." His eyebrows knitted together. "Life is confusing and it isn't a walk through the park."

"I knew what I wanted." Her hands clenched into fists next to her. "And I still know."

"Yeah?" He arched his eyebrow, mocking her. "Then why aren't you a lawyer by now? Wasn't that your big dream?"

"I have a son." She shook her head. "It's not that easy to study for the bar, work and raise a child at the same time."

"Why do you even have him?" He lifted his shoulders. "You didn't want to be a mom before you turned twenty-five."

"I changed my mind."

"He changed your mind, didn't he?" His blue eyes were wide open, his whole body stiff. "He wanted children the second you got married and of course you gave in like you always do."

"No."

"No? You went back to him and you let him knock you up because you thought a child would make him trust you again." He let out a hard laugh, shaking his head. "But it didn't work, did it? Your marriage still doesn't work, like it didn't work from the start."

"My marriage is fine." She stomped her foot like a little girl. "And my pregnancy was unexpected; I didn't just let him knock me up while we were fixing things."

"But you didn't have the guts to have an abortion, did you?"

SLAP.

She held her hurting hand on her heart, looking at the red mark on his face. Her lip trembled as she felt tears well up in her eyes, remembering exactly why she had kept her son. Why the thought of an abortion had ripped her inside out at the time.

"Don't you dare question why I kept my son."

"I was never the one who questioned everything."

"I have to go." She picked her bag up from the chair. "I'm going to pick up my son at Caroline's and I'm going home to my husband."

"Can he already do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know what."

Her breath hitched as he pushed her against the wall, her body trapped by his. Her throat started throbbing as he pressed his chest against hers, letting their hearts beat against each other. A dangerous glint flashed through his blue eyes as he lowered his head and started breathing an inch away from the skin in her neck, his tongue softly nipping.

"Stop it."

She pushed him away from her, her eyes radiating nothing but anger. Her fists clenching next to her sides. Her heart aching as it was pushed away from the one it had been made to love, her soul crying for its other half as it was ripped away from it.

"Do you ever imagine our children, Lena? How beautiful they would be?"

"Don't." She shook her head, holding the handle to open the door in her hand. "Just don't start that."

"Your eyes, my hair." He shrugged it off him. "It's probably best if they take after you too."

"But they wouldn't." She turned around, shaking her head. "They would take after you. With the sarcastic comments and all."

"Our girl would probably Prom Queen."

"And our son would be just like you except with my hair. Your eyes, your character, a pain in the ass just like you but underneath it all he'd be a good boy. He pulls off a lot of stunts which drives me crazy most of the time but I let him get away with it because I know where he got it from. He's too smart for his age and he puts adults in their place because he's smart, just like you, he's too smart for them, just like you're always too smart for everyone."

"You thought about this." His blue eyes softened, his body relaxing.

"Every day." She pulled the handle down, opening the door. "I thought about it every day. Damon."

With a sigh she pulled the door shut behind her, the tears rolling down her cheeks. Her feet finding the way to the elevator all by themselves because she had done this walk of shame a hundred times before. When the steel doors finally opened she stepped inside, letting all her emotions out with the cabin that closed around her.

* * *

><p>"Liam. Coat."<p>

She helped her son out of his coat as he stood jumping up and down. After putting both their coats away she looked around in her childhood home, still remembering curling up on her mother's lap in front of the fire place, watching baseball games with her dad on the large comfy couch.

"Mom? Dad?"

"Kitchen."

She walked after Liam who bounced from the living room to the kitchen. She plastered a smile on her face as she entered, seeing her mother prepare dinner for that evening.

"Hi you two." The older woman's face lit up as she saw her daughter and grandson approach. "How are you?"

"We're fine." She hugged her mother tight, noticing the dark circles under her mother's eyes. "How are you, everything okay?"

"I'm fine." Miranda waved her away. "You know, just my old heart not catching up with my young spirit."

"When was your last check-up?"

"A week ago, they gave me some new drug." Her mother shrugged and rubbed her shoulder. "Don't worry, they're not getting me."

"You shouldn't work so much." Elena shook her head. "If you need help you just need to call me and I'll be here in a heartbeat."

"You already work too much, Elena." The older woman smiled. "And you have your son and your own husband to take care of."

"My husband can take care of himself and our son, if you need help just call me, okay?"

"I will." Miranda nodded. "But I still have that old gray guy walking around in the house to help me out."

"Where is dad?" She looked around in the white kitchen. "I want to talk to him."

"He's in the garage. Working on his secret project." Her mother pointed her chin to Liam who was studying the pictures on the wall. "Christmas project."

"Oh." She nodded her head. "I won't bother him then."

"Grandma." Liam ran in his grandmother's direction, hugging her leg. "Hello."

"My-my Liam Salvatore, you get more and more handsome every day."

"Uncle Ty says my smile makes panties drop."

"Panties is his favorite word these days." Elena bit her lip, glaring at her son. "I don't know where he picked it up."

"Really?" Her mother looked down at the boy with a huge grin on his face. "Why don't you tell me all about your smile while your mother looks for your grandfather."

"You sure?" Elena looked up at her mother. "Caroline swore she didn't give him sugar but I don't know if I believe her..."

"Auntie Care didn't give me any sugar." Liam looked up with a devilish grin. "But uncle Ty did."

"Of course he did." Elena pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're sure you're going to be okay with him?"

"Of course we will be okay." Miranda smiled, her brown eyes lightening up. "We're going to drink some lemonade and talk about school."

"Not too much sugar please." She exchanged a look with her mother before placing a kiss on Liam's temple. "Be a good boy."

She walked towards the garage once he nodded and focused on his grandmother. Elena pushed the door from the garage open and watched her father paint the huge tree house he had build for her son.

"My daughter." Grayson Gilbert put the paint brush down. "She's alive."

"This is huge." She pointed to the tree house on the work table. "Isn't it a little too big?"

"Every boy should have a tree house." Grayson patted the dark wood. "And I'm sure Stefan isn't going to build him one."

"He can write him one."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Isn't there always?"

"Why don't you put your brave face away and tell me what's really going on?"

"Daddy." She whispered, her eyes looking for his gray ones. "I'm in trouble."

"You're lucky." He patted the crutch next to him. "This is the I'll-make-your-trouble-go-away-crutch."

She let out a sad laugh and sat down on the crutch, focusing her gaze at the dark wood of the work table. Her thoughts a mess with what to tell him first.

"Tell me."

"Damon Salvatore is in town."

"Oww…" Grayson nodded, biting his lip. "That one."

"I lost my job." She wiped away the tear that escaped her eye. "They found out about us and now they're starting a lawsuit against me."

"And what did Damon say about it?"

"He said he would help me pay for the lawyers and all..." She shrugged. "But the money isn't really a problem if I ask Stefan... I just... I haven't told Stefan yet."

"That there is a lawsuit against you?" He rubbed her arm. "He knows what happened five years ago, he knew this could happen."

"I didn't tell him that I lost my job or that Damon is back in town." She shook her head. "He'll freak out."

"Does he have a reason to freak out?" Grayson placed a hand on her knee. "I know how much you cared about Damon."

"I didn't just care about him. I loved him." She lifted her shoulders, searching for words. "I was ready to start my life with him... I applied for divorce and then..."

"Sweetie." Her father squeezed her knee. "What Damon did was horrible, but it's not unforgivable. If you want to make things right, this is your chance, he's here."

She looked down at the wooden work surface again, imagining her life with Damon next to her. Their son curled up on his lap while watching a football game, her fingers stroking through her husband's dark raven hair. The life she always imagined of living since the moment she started sleeping with him.

"Wake up sleepyhead."

"_Wake up sleepyhead."_

_Her eyes started fluttering as someone gently shook her shoulder, the smell of hot coffee lingering in the air as she locked her eyes with the ocean blue ones in front of her. The steaming coffee in his hand, wearing a gray shirt with black jeans, his messy hair damp._

"_Damon?" She put her hand against her pounding head, staring up at him through small eyes. "My head is hurting."_

"_I know." He chuckled softly while she flinched by the sound. "There's an aspirin and some water on the night table."_

"_How did I get here?"_

"_Well, after a lot of babbling on the bathroom floor, you finally fell asleep and I carried you to bed." He smirked dangerously, sipping on his coffee. "You should be thankful I did, you're back would be killing you otherwise."_

"_I meant how did I get here in your room in the first place?"_

"_You didn't seem that happy about walking around in a bunny suit." He chuckled, his blue eyes flashing in amusement. "So you dragged your drunken ass here."_

"_I'm sorry." She buried her head in the pillow. "I've never been drunk before."_

"_I know, you told me all about it."_

"_Tell me at least I'm a fun drunk?" She flashed him a smile, flinching when the bright sunlight hit her eyes. "I hope I didn't ruin your night."_

"_You did all right." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Don't you remember?"_

"_No." She frowned, shaking her head. "Last night is kind of a blur."_

"_Nothing at all?"_

"_Nope." She popped the p. "Maybe it will come back to me but now trying to think about it is just really painful."_

"_Usually it's the groom who's hungover." He smirked. "I'm so proud of you, Elena."_

"_Shut up." She punched his back with her fist. "I feel horrible."_

"_You should get dressed." He got up again, throwing her clothes on the bed. "Caroline called me half an hour ago, Tyler is picking you up."_

"_Oh no." She growled, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?"_

"_I thought you could use all the sleep you could get."_

"_Good thinking." She looked down at what she was wearing, frowning. "How did I get in your shirt?"_

"_You asked me very nicely if you could borrow something to sleep in."_

"_Thank you." She sighed. "Knowing you, you would be capable of letting me sleep naked."_

"_Nope."_

_They both jumped up as there was a knock on the door. Damon put his mug down and disappeared to the door while she stood up and changed Damon's shirt for her clothes. Tyler walked in at the moment she zipped her hoodie up._

"_Caroline asked me to pick you up." He exchanged a look with Damon. "She didn't think you would be able to drive."_

"_I don't have my car here either." She shrugged, looking at Damon. "I'm really sorry for the trouble."_

"_Don't worry about it." He shrugged a devilish grin on his face. "I have enough material to torment you for the rest of your life."_

_A flash went through her mind as she heard his words, having them heard before. Her heart __started aching, flashes of passion rushing through her mind, his lips covering her naked chest with kisses, her back arching to get him closer. Her soul feeling happy as he locked his eyes with hers, their breaths mingling as he claimed her lips as his._

"_Elena?" Tyler pulled her thoughts away from Damon's intense gaze. "Ready to go?"_

"_Yeah. I'm sorry." She shook her head. "I just tuned out."_

"I just tuned out."

"I noticed."

"I can't forgive him, dad." She shrugged. "I can never trust him again."

"It's your choice, sweetie." He smiled at her. "Just know that this trial is going to bring things to the surface that you rather not talk about."

"I know." She whispered. "I know how these things go and I know there will be things I will have to share that I don't want to but what I fear the most is that they'll find out about Liam."

"They won't." He squeezed her knee. "And even if they did, he's Stefan's son."

"Dad, we both know..."

"That's the birth certificate they'll find." He shrugged. "As long as the original one stays hidden they won't have any proof he's Damon's."

She looked up at the man in front of her, seeing her father now with his doctor's face on. The only reason why she had been able to make her son Damon's son too and make Stefan believe he was officially Liam's father. When she gave birth she couldn't make it official so her father, the doctor on retirement had pulled a few strings and arranged two birth certificates with two different names under the tag father. One of them was safely hidden in a safe only she could open.

"So where is my grandson?" Grayson got up, wiping his hands clean. "You know, Damon wasn't such a bad guy, he gave us that little monster."

"You just think he's a good guy because you could talk about kidneys with him."

"That only made him a better guy."

* * *

><p>"Sweet dreams, buddy."<p>

She kissed her son's forehead as she tucked him in. His eyes started fluttering once his head hit the pillow.

"Mommy?" His big blue eyes looked up at her. "Is it bad if I don't want to become a writer like Daddy?"

"No." She sat down next to him, stroking his hair. "That's not bad. Why would you think that?"

"Because all the boys in my class want to become like their daddies." He shook his head, his eyes fighting to stay open. "But I don't want to be a writer."

"What do you want to be?" She stroked his hair softly. "You can be anything you want."

"I want to be a heart doctor." His eyes welled up with tears. "So I can make Grandma better."

"You want to be a heart surgeon?" She swallowed back the lump in her throat.

"Yes." He nodded eagerly. "But is it bad that I want to be one when I don't know anybody who's a heart surgeon?"

"No, it's not bad that you want to be something else than anybody else."

"Do you know any heart surgeons, Mommy?"

"I do." She whispered. "I do know someone."

"Why did he become a heart surgeon?" His big blue eyes were now wide open, focusing on his mother.

"Because his mommy had a heart condition and he thought he could fix it."

"Did he fix it?"

"I think he's still trying." She smiled softly. "But I think he'll fix her one day."

"Can I meet him?" His eyes locked with hers, filled with hope. "I want to meet him."

"Maybe one day." She patted the comforter. "But he lives in Chicago."

"That's far away." He nodded. "But maybe he'll come here someday."

"Maybe."

She placed a kiss on his forehead, looking at his face, feeling her heart ache again as she saw his father's features reflected in them. Her soul started screaming again as she thought about the man that held the other part of it. Her body tingled, reminding her what it wanted.

"Buddy?" She took a deep breath, stroking his cheek. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Sure." He scooted to the other side of the bed, pressing his back against the wall. "Do you think you're going to have a bad dream?"

"Yeah..." She got under the covers, hugging him tight to her chest. "But you'll keep them away."

His tiny arm draped around her waist while he snuggled into her chest. She wrapped the covers tighter around them so he wouldn't get cold and put the light out, feeling his breathing even in the dark.

"Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"If I become a heart doctor I can fix you too if someone breaks your heart."

She stroked his cheek; softly pulling her fingers through his thick hair with her other hand. A sob left her throat as she nodded her head, placing a kiss on her son's head.

"You already fixed it."

She looked down at his sleeping figure, knowing exactly why she had kept him.

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	6. I'll go down with this ship

**Thank you Mareike for betaing this chapter.**

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 6

_'I'll go down with this ship'_

"Mommy, it's snowing."

"It's been snowing for the past three days, buddy."

"I know."

Elena chuckled as her son's blue eyes went wide and lowered her head to place a kiss on his forehead. She let the pom-pom on his bobble hat wiggle and laughed as he pulled the ear flaps in place, making a bunny sound with his teeth.

"Daddy", Liam singsonged as soon as Stefan entered the room. "Ready to play in the snow?"

"As soon as I find my gloves."

Elena turned around, smiling at her husband. "They're in the living room."

"I'll get them, daddy."

Stefan rolled his eyes as Liam ran out the kitchen. "I was going to use that excuse until after breakfast."

"I'm sorry." She bit her lip, an amused expression on her face. "I thought you really didn't know."

"It's okay." He pecked her cheek, brushing his hand over her hip. "He would have found them anyway."

"Good morning."

She plastered her lips against his, cupping his face in her hands to get him closer. Ever since he started working, the tension between them had been less and less, instead the warmth and the feeling of family returned. Dinner wasn't just filled with Liam's rambling anymore but her husband had now stories to entertain them with, telling about his day at work, his co-workers that pulled off a lot of stunts, it was something they had never known before and it was a welcome change. The cracks in their marriage were on the mend and he became the man she had fallen in love with again. She told him about losing her job and the lawsuit against her, for some reason he took it much better than she had expected. Instead of the anger and devastation she prepared herself for, he took her hand and told her they would be all right. It was his idea to let her stay at home so she could spend more time with Liam, something she was grateful for and loved him even more for because even if she loved making her own money, the relationship with her son was more important to her than a job would ever be.

"Daddy, I found them." Liam waved the black gloves in the air. "Can we go play now?"

"Sure."

"I'll help you put your coat on." Elena picked him up and carried him to the hallway, grabbing his coat from the hanger. "Hold your arms out."

"Grandma called." His blue eyes followed her as she crouched down in front of him. "She asked if you could call back."

"When did she call?" She zipped his coat up, adjusting his collar. "Couldn't you tell me?"

"I tried to tell you but you were busy drooling on daddy's face."

"Okay." Her cheeks turned red. "Go play with daddy, I'll call your grandmother."

"Don't worry." He patted her arm. "I didn't tell her you were drooling on daddy's face."

"Thank you." She let out a sigh of relief.

"That would be so embarrassing."

It was that smirk on his face that made her realize again how much he looked like his father, that twinkle in his eyes when he was up to something or when he knew he was being a smart ass. It was with that same smirk she wondered about how long it would take before he would become too much to handle. Stefan was a good father and he tried, but when it came down to it he was too sweet and too polite to control her five-year-old son, his personality wasn't tough enough to dominate the strong spirit of her son and it would take the older and smarter version of him to do that. It would take his real father.

"If you're not out of here in five seconds, I'll make you eat snow."

She shook her head in amusement as he sprinted out the room and disappeared through the back door. She took the phone in her hand and dialed the familiar number, waiting patiently until she heard the female voice on the other side of the line.

"Hi mom, it's Elena."

"Oh good", her mother sighed in relief. "I almost thought you had… you know."

"What?" She arched her eyebrow. "I don't follow you."

"The forbidden words."

"What's the forbidden word?"

Her mother clacked her tongue in the phone "Heart attack."

"_Heart attack." _

_Caroline screamed as Elena grabbed her chest, trying to breath, feeling like there was a huge lump stuck in her air pipe. She grabbed Caroline's arm, seeking support to stay up straight._

"_It's a panic attack, Caroline." Bonnie rolled her eyes, handing her a paper bag. "Let her breath in this."_

"_Can you get Grayson?" Caroline held the bag in front of her mouth. _

"_Why?" Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest. "She'll be fine in a minute."_

"_He's a doctor." Caroline glared at her friend. "Just get him to make sure she's fine."_

_Bonnie rolled her eyes and turned around to the door. She pulled it open with a sigh only to come face to face with the man behind it. _

"_Did someone say doctor?"_

"_Doctor?" Bonnie huffed, glaring at him. "I wouldn't trust you with my life."_

"_Good." He smirked, his blue eyes shimmering in amusement ", because I specialize in hearts."_

"_Yeah..." Bonnie rolled her eyes as he strode past her and walked in Elena's direction. "In breaking them." _

"_Do you mind that I parked my car next to your broom?" _

"_I'm out of here." Bonnie picked the skirt of her dress up and walked through the door, slamming it shut behind her. _

"_You two are going to have beautiful babies someday." Caroline sighed, focusing on Elena, "Elena just keep breathing." _

"_No sorry." He cupped Elena's face in his hands. "Judgmental isn't my type."_

"_Elena", Caroline singsonged. "Just breathe in the bag." _

"_Why are you acting like a wind-up toy?" He smirked, locking their eyes. "It's just a wedding."_

"_...dd..in..ing." _

"_Details", he rolled his eyes, tightening the grip on her face. "Just breathe with me."_

_She focused her eyes on his lips as he started breathing slowly in and out, her skin burning under his touch. Flashes of his skin against hers rushed through her mind again, her body arching to meet his in the middle, her lips claiming his as her own, bruising them like they were the air she breathed. It had been going on for hours, everything was filled with thoughts of him and every second was filled with the images of passion burning her sight. Her heart seemed to be hollow, shouting for something it missed, something it had touched but lost when it was taken away from it. _

"_Focus on me." His voice pulled her back to reality, his hands resting on her waist, "good girl, just breathe with me."_

_Her heart started beating slower in her chest, her lungs filled with air again and somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered if he wasn't the air she breathed. Everything seemed lighter now he was here, a weight fell off her shoulders and all the tension left her body. _

"_You're late." She breathed, locking her eyes with his. "The wedding was supposed to start five minutes ago."_

"_But it didn't." He smirked, "so (my timing is perfect) I'm right on time."_

"_I'm going to see if everything's all right." Caroline squeezed her arm. "Bonnie probably needs some help."_

"_No one can help that witch." He waggled his eyebrows as Caroline disappeared through the door. "She's a lost cause."_

"_Be nice to my bridesmaids." _

"_It's not like they're nice to me." He glared at her, a small smile on his lips. _

"_Bonnie wasn't exactly happy when she heard I burned the bunny suit." She chewed on her bottom lip. "Turns out they rented it."_

"_You burned it?" He pouted. "Such a shame, I wanted to borrow it."_

"_Why?" She arched her eyebrow, shaking her head. "Do you want to sell carrots?" _

"_No." He rolled his eyes. "I would let someone else wear it, she the bunny, me the hunter, using my gun." _

"_Shooting your load on her."_

"_You're spending too much time with me, dirty mouth." He tapped her nose. "I like it."_

"_You like a dirty mouth?" She stepped forward, letting her hand slide over the black jacket of his suit, the bustier of her dress touching the white fabric of his shirt. "Does it turn you on?"_

"_When they use it the right way." _

_He breathed huskily in her ear, his hand resting on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. Her heart started drumming in her chest as she lifted her head, letting her nose slide over his jaw, her lips begging to find his again. His palm warmed her bare back, finding the strings of the white dress. Both their breaths hitched as they felt his phone buzz in his pants. _

_He pulled his body away from hers, keeping his eyes away from her face, "hi mom."_

"_Damon Liam Salvatore." A high pitched female voice blasted through the phone as soon as he put it on speaker. "You're not supposed to pick up, the wedding already started."_

_His eyebrows knitted together. "Did you call me to check if I would pick up at a wedding?"_

"_I wanted to make sure I taught you a few manners" The older woman muttered into the phone, "apparently not."_

"_The bride is standing right in front of me." _

"_You're getting married?" _

"_No, not at the altar."_

_Elena chuckled as she watched his eyes go wide, his hand squeezing the phone, the muscles in his arms becoming visible under the jacket of his suit. She looked up and found herself staring into the ocean of blue, her body started tingling again as he kept his eyes on her, watching every expression on her face._

"_Wish her all the happiness in the world." Her eyes snapped to the phone as the woman spoke through it. "Let's hope she has better luck with her husband than most women do." _

"_You can tell her yourself." His blue eyes bored into hers. "She can hear you."_

"_Oh..." The voice was startled, "Hi sweetie, the best of luck with your marriage." _

"_Thank you." She stammered, a smile spreading across her face. "Miss..."_

"_Call me Lauren." _

"_Thank you, Lauren."_

"_Sweetie, you and I need to talk." She exchanged a look with Damon once Lauren spoke the words. "Are there any good girls at your wedding?" _

"_A lot of them", she chuckled, seeing Damon roll his eyes. "And a lot of them are single."_

"_Good." Lauren sounded relieved. "Because I actually want grandchildren he makes on purpose, not by accident."_

"_I'll introduce him to a few of my friends." _

"_Thank you, sweetie", Lauren sighed. "I just want him to meet a nice girl and give me a bunch of grandchildren to bake for."_

"_Mom, I'm going to hang up on you."_

"_Damon Liam Salvatore, don't you dare!"_

"_Bye mom."_

"_Liam?" She grinned at him, her eyes sparkling. "Damon Liam Salvatore?"_

"_Don't say anything." He put his phone back in his pocket, shaking his head at her._

"_Liam." She smiled, locking her eyes with his. "I like it." _

"_So you're all set?" He changed the subject, letting his eyes travel from her updo to the seam of her dress ", something new, something blue and something borrowed?" _

"_Yes, the dress is new." She pointed to the white fabric she was wearing. "And I borrowed these earrings from my mom, they were my grandmother's." _

"_And where's the blue?" He smirked, his eyes glancing over her whole appearance. _

"_Caroline thought it wouldn't match with the red accents of the dress."_

"_Where is it?" He started walking around her, inspecting the back of the dress. "You're a good girl Elena, you don't marry without having everything in place."_

"_No, it's not there." She shrugged, her cheeks blushing. "I'm going to take a risk for once."_

"_Stop lying." _

"_I'm not lying." _

"_Where is it, Lena?" _

"_It's not there." _

"_Lena…" _

"_It's my lingerie." She stomped her foot, glaring at him. "I'm wearing it under my dress." _

_His face lit up, his blue eyes sparkling while he came to stand in front of her. "Can I see?" _

"_No." _

"_I'm a doctor." _

"_That doesn't give you the right to see people's underwear."_

"_Just let me peek." _

"_No, no peeking."_

"_Just a quick glance."_

"_No."_

"_Lena, let me see."_

"_No."_

"_Lena."_

"_Fine!" She pulled the bustier of her dress away from her skin, "just a peek." _

"_I approve." He inspected the blue lace, his lips pouting together, "very wedding night friendly."_

"_Glad you approve." She rolled her eyes, putting her dress back in place. "So how do I look?"_

"_Delicious."_

"_You mean beautiful?"_

"_No." He shrugged, shaking his head, "just delicious."_

"_Are you going to eat me?" She crossed her arms over her chest. _

"_Pull your skirt up and I will." _

"_Asshole." _

"_You look beautiful." His amused tone went serious. "He'll want to eat you up."_

"_Don't say that."_

"_It's your wedding night." He shrugged, throwing his arms in the air. "That's exactly what he'll do, eat you." _

"_I still don't know why I invited you." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I can't come up with a good reason."_

"_You wanted to show me that Stefan really is the one for you." _

"_Right", she put her hands on her hips, breathing in and out before looking up at him in wonder. "I'm getting married." _

"_Yes. You are." He looked at the watch on his arm. "Ready? I think you're now fashionably late." _

"_Just one thing", she pouted, holding her arms out to him. "I need a hug."_

"_No, sorry", he took a step backwards, holding his arms up, "I made it a habit to only let naked people touch me." _

"_I just showed you my lingerie." _

"_Right", he smirked. "For a prude like you, that counts as naked."_

_She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling into his chest when he did the exact same thing and wrapped her in his embrace. She sighed and pressed him tighter against her, reveling in the comfort his body always managed to give her._

"_I need to ask you something." She looked up at him, locking her brown doe eyes with his ocean blue ones. "About last night."_

"_Shoot."_

"_Did something happen?" She stammered her eyebrow arching. "I just have these flashes in my head and I don't know if I was imagining things because of the alcohol or..."_

"_Nothing happened." He smiled softly, stroking her cheek. "Why would you think that?"_

"_It's just these images in my mind." She shrugged it off. "But I've never been drunk before so I didn't know if it was normal or not."_

"_You rambled, you puked, you fell asleep and after that you went back to talking." He smirked. _

"_I talk in my sleep."_

"_Pretty loudly." _

"_I'm sorry." She bit her lip, chuckling softly. "Usually it is only a whisper but the alcohol..."_

"_Blame it on the alcohol." He shook his head in amusement and entangled their bodies, holding his arm out for her. "Let's get you married."_

"_A weight just fell off my shoulders." She sighed, linking her arm with his. "I can't get married if I was kissing another guy yesterday." _

"_Even if you would have it would have been a mistake, you were drunk." His eyes lost their shimmer for a moment. "You love your fiancé." _

"_I would have felt guilty." She whispered, walking through the door he held open for her. "People do stupid things when they're drunk and I don't want to be one of them."_

"_I know." He closed the door behind them, walking into the entrance of the church where her father was waiting. "But nothing happened so you have nothing to feel guilty about." _

"_Thank you." She smiled, squeezing his hand in hers, "for everything." _

"_You're welcome." _

_She pulled him back when he tried to turn around and walk to his seat. "I'm glad you're here, Damon."_

"_Me too", he kissed her forehead and pulled the veil over her head, covering her face with the lace fabric. "You like Julia Roberts, right?"_

"_Yeah..."_

"_Ever seen Runaway bride?" _

"_Yes."_

"_The exit is behind you." _

_She shook her head at him and punched his chest. "You're not funny." _

"You're not funny."

"Someone who has a heart condition is allowed to joke about it." Her mother laughed smugly. "That's exactly why I'm calling, your father banned me from all physical activities because he thinks I look tired."

"But now you're worried he'll ruin your kitchen." She chuckled softly into the phone.

"You know how much I love my kitchen." Miranda sighed dramatically. "And you said if I ever needed help I could call you and this is really an emergency."

She laughed and shook her head at her mother. "Of course, I'll be there in half an hour."

"My kitchen thanks you."

* * *

><p>"There are my two favorite people on earth."<p>

Miranda crouched down and wrapped her arms around Liam who ran into them. She pressed him tightly against her and helped him remove his coat and gloves. Elena watched them with a smile on her face and looked up as her father walked into the living room.

"They are your two favorite people?" Grayson pouted at his wife. "I'm not feeling the love."

"Oh shut up." She pecked his cheek. "You know I love you grumpy old man."

"Mommy was drooling on daddy's face when you called." Liam looked up at his grandmother, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Liam." She stomped her foot, glaring at him.

"You were going to make me eat snow." He stuck his tongue out at her.

"I was just kidding." She rolled her eyes at her son.

"Liam." Miranda pulled his attention back to her. "You seem tired, why don't you and I go rest while your mommy makes us dinner?"

"That's a good idea, granny." He yawned, his blue eyes fluttering. "I played with daddy in the snow."

"You did?" Miranda started walking, holding his hand. "Did you make a snowman?"

Elena turned to her father once her mother and son went up the stairs, Liam telling all about his time with his daddy in the snow. She smiled at Grayson and followed him into the kitchen, unpacking the groceries she carried in the paper bag.

"So how is she doing?" She looked up at her father. "She seems tired."

"She is." He nodded. "She tries to hide it but she's exhausted."

"Didn't they give her some new medicines that should help her?"

"They did." He whispered. "But drugs won't be able to help her forever, she needs a new heart and soon."

"You think she'll ever get one?" Her eyes welled up with tears. "Damon said..."

"It doesn't matter." He shook his head. "We have to hope for the best."

"I don't want to lose her." She whispered, holding back her tears. "It's too soon."

"We would have lost her five years ago if Damon hadn't been here." Grayson grabbed the counter in his fists. "As a human I don't want to lose my wife either but as a doctor I know that every moment with her can be our last."

"Maybe we can ask Damon if there's anything we can do." She looked up at him with frantic eyes. "He's here now."

"Elena, he did everything he could." Grayson shook his head. "He made sure that she got treated by the best doctors and that she got the best treatment. That's all he can do as long as there's no new heart for her."

"I know." She looked down at the wooden counter. "I just hoped there was something we could do to help her."

"Live your life." Grayson patted her shoulder. "Make sure you're happy and it will make her happy."

"I finally bought the books to study for the bar." She smiled. "I don't have a job anymore so it seems like the perfect time."

"So Damon's return does have an influence on you", a smug smirk appeared on his face. "He was always the one who tried to convince you."

"It's not just Damon." She glared at him when he gave her a look. "Liam is older now and I have more time to study so I decided to take a chance and try it, I've always wanted to be a lawyer."

"What if you fail?" He arched his eyebrow, mocking her. "Weren't you always scared that you weren't going to pass?"

"You're more of a failure when you don't try than when you do try and fail."

"That sounds like something Damon would say."

"So I stole Damon's line." She shrugged. "You have to stop being so obvious about the fact that you're team Damon."

"I never said I'm team Damon." His eyebrows knitted together. "Yes, I liked the guy but you're my daughter and I'm whatever team you are."

"You just liked him because he's a doctor like you."

"Yes I respected him because he made something out of himself." Grayson sighed, shaking his head at her. "And I'll admit in the months he was here, he became more my son than Stefan ever will be."

"Daddy", she rolled her eyes. "Stefan doesn't like to spend his nights in bars and drink himself wasted, that's just not who he is and you have to respect him for whom he is."

"And I do, I respect Stefan." He started cleaning the celery. "I'll admit I liked spending time with Damon and I knew something was going on between the two of you before you even realized I did. But you were happy and that's all that mattered to me because Damon had this gift to make you smile when Stefan couldn't and that's why I was team Damon."

"So you admit you were team Damon?" She smiled at him. "I always knew you were."

"Maybe I am." He shrugged. "And I'm not saying that what you did was right because cheating on your husband is never right but I'm saying that I get why you fell in love with him. And maybe I'd rather have Damon at our table on Sundays but it's your choice who you spend the rest of your life with and I've always supported you in whatever you decide just like I supported you when you decided to keep Liam and raise him as Stefan's son."

"So you think I chose wrong?"

"No." He stroked her cheek, locking their eyes. "You chose what was right for you. You were young and Damon was good for you because he pushed you and guided you into being an adult and that was something Stefan couldn't do because he was still a kid himself. Damon taught you to stand up for yourself and to speak your mind. The guy was an asshole but he pulled you out of your shell and made you the strong confident woman you are now. You needed him in your life at that point but it was your choice to spend the rest of your life with Stefan because you thought that was best for you and you're the one who knows what is best for you."

"I wish mom would see it that way." She whispered. "I never told her about the affair and still she manages to hate Damon."

"She didn't like him because he told her she have to stop drinking coffee and eat so much sugar." He shook his head in amusement. "You know how much your mom likes sugar."

"She didn't just dislike him." She shook her head. "She hated him."

"She didn't hate him." Grayson sighed and sipped his coffee. "She's team Stefan, she fell for his charm and artistic side just like you did. But Damon was the older guy who pulled you in and she saw the way you acted around him. She didn't want her perfect son-in-law to be replaced by a bad boy that seduced young girls such as you."

"I just wish she had been more grateful." She grabbed a box from the paper bag. "He saved her life and still she treated him like trash."

"She did whenever you were around." He chuckled. "She liked him but she was scared once you saw that she did, you would take it as a sign and leave Stefan to have a bunch of kids with Damon. And Damon knew it, he knew she didn't want him anywhere near you because she was scared he would get his hands on you."

"If she only knew he did." She rolled her eyes, sighing. "I never told her about the affair because I know how much she loves Stefan."

"I think deep down she knows." Grayson nodded. "I think she figured it out the day Liam was born."

"Then why did she never say something?" She looked up at him. "She always speaks her mind."

"Because she doesn't want to accept it", he lifted his shoulders. "She doesn't want to admit to herself that her worse fear came true, her daughter didn't have the perfect marriage and she found comfort in another man."

"Why did you never judge me?" She whispered. "You knew I was having an affair."

"Because like I said", Grayson locked their eyes, boring his green eyes into her brown ones. "He made you happy and I let him do it. But the day he hurt you, he hurt me too."

She blinked her tears back and nodded. "Such a serious conversation", she opened the white box. "You deserve a treat after that."

"Those desserts are going to be the death of me."

"_Those desserts are going to be the death of me."_

_Her head snapped up as she saw her father pace next to the dessert table, his plate already filled with different kind of cakes and pies. She chuckled as the man next to her filled his plate with an equal amount of goodies. _

"_So who sat next to you during dinner?" She locked her brown eyes with his blue ones. "Was she nice?"_

"_Her name was Julie or something." He shrugged. "And she was pretty, I focused on that." _

_She shook her head at him and stretched to see her father. "Daddy, come here for a second."_

_Grayson approached them, chewing fiercely on his piece of cake. "These desserts are really good, sweetie."_

"_Thank you." She smiled and grabbed Damon's arm, turning him to them instead of the dessert table. "This is Damon Salvatore, the heart surgeon I told you about."_

"_So he does exist, I thought he was some kind of myth." Grayson extended his hand. "Grayson Gilbert, proud father and doctor on retirement." _

"_Damon Salvatore", Damon grabbed his hand and shook it. "Still single and still working my ass off." _

"_I heard a lot about you." Grayson glanced at Elena. "You're the only thing she talks about these days."_

"_Well..." Damon smirked. "I'm pretty to look at."_

"_Oh no", Grayson shook with laughter. "It's because you buy her coffee."_

"_You just got burned by my old man." She patted Damon's shoulder and exchanged a look with her father. "Can I leave you two alone for a bit?"_

"_Grayson!" The gray man with green eyes swung his arm over her father's shoulder, "We're finally a family."_

"_It had to happen someday, Giuseppe." Grayson clicked his glass against Giuseppe's. "Here's to our future grandchildren."_

"_If I may believe Stefan we won't have to wait long." Giuseppe pointed his gaze at her. _

"_I would like to travel first." Her cheeks turned red as she stared into Giuseppe's pointing gaze. "And pass the bar before becoming a mother."_

"_You're still young." Grayson smiled at her. "There's still plenty of time to think about children, enjoy your life first, I certainly have."_

"_Pass the bar?" Giuseppe's eyebrow arched. "Don't get your hopes up, sweetie. There are few that actually pass."_

"_If my daughter thinks she can do it, she can." Grayson squeezed her arm. _

"_Aren't you enough of a screw up at your current job?" Giuseppe gave her a mocking smile. "You shouldn't take more on your plate than you can handle."_

"_Excuse me, sir." Damon's blue eyes shot fire. "I've been working with Elena and I can say she's great at what she does and if she ever becomes a lawyer I'll let someone die on purpose so I can hire her."_

"_And who might you be?" Giuseppe glared at him, letting his eyes travel over Damon's strong body. "One of her screwed up friends?"_

"_Damon Salvatore." He extended his hand. "And I get the impression I'm rather one of her screwed up friends than one of yours."_

"_He's a heart surgeon." Grayson turned to the man beside him shrugging off his arm. "And a good one too."_

_Giuseppe stared at Damon's extended hand, his green eyes traveling to the blue ones that were directed at him. His lips parted as he tried to bring out words but failed to voice them. She felt Damon's body move next to her, his shoulders straightening, his muscles tightening under his shirt. Even her father's body moved so she was standing behind him and Damon, blocking her from Giuseppe. But for some reason she didn't have the feeling that she was Giuseppe's focus. His green eyes were firm on Damon's face, reading every expression that the young man in front of him showed. _

"_Excuse me." Giuseppe stopped acting like a fish and finally voiced something. "I have to check on something."_

"_So that's your father-in-law." Damon turned to her once Giuseppe disappeared. "Seems like a nice guy."_

"_He doesn't think much of me." She sighed, shrugging. "He wanted Stefan to marry someone from a wealthy family."_

"_We used to be best friends." Grayson rubbed his daughter's back, trying to soothe her. "He just changed when his wife died a few years ago."_

"_He had to raise Stefan all on his own." Elena locked her gaze with Damon's. "It's a good thing he didn't turn out like his father." _

"_Nope, quite the opposite", Damon rolled his eyes, sipping his bourbon. _

"_You met Stefan?" She looked up at him with an expecting gaze. "What did you think of him?"_

"_I talked to him for like...ten minutes." _

"_But what did you think?" She grabbed his arm, keeping his attention on her. "Did you like him?"_

"_Stop worrying about what other people think." He shook his head at her. "It doesn't matter what I think, you're the one who has to spend her life with him." _

"_Damon." She shook his arm. "Just tell me what you think."_

"_He seems..." He searched for words, lifting his shoulders. "..polite."_

"_I showed you my lingerie and that's what I get?" She put her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "Polite?"_

"_You showed him your lingerie?" Her father's voice pulled her away from Damon's gaze. "There goes the image of my good catholic raised daughter."_

"_Didn't you notice she isn't wearing anything blue?" Damon smirked at her father, waggling his eyebrows. "It's hidden underneath the dress."_

"_Actually now you mention it." Grayson's eyes traveled over his daughter's appearance. "There isn't anything blue."_

"_I'm going to talk to the other guests." She shook her head at them. "Can you two behave?"_

"_Of course." _

_She rolled her eyes as they both nodded and pecked her father's cheek. "Daddy, keep Damon away from the bar." _

"_My pleasure", he smirked at Damon. _

_She shook her head in amusement and turned to her friend. "Damon, keep daddy away from the dessert table." _

"_Sure thing." _

_She turned around and started walking, lifting the skirt of her white dress to walk smoother trough the crowd. _

"_I'll let you near the bar if you let me near the dessert table." _

"_Deal."_

_A gasp left her throat as she turned back to them, her eyes narrowing. "You're not supposed to bond that quickly!"_

_They both shrugged and she rolled her eyes, leaving them behind at the dessert table while walking to the kitchen to check up on everything. She was tasting the midnight snacks when Giuseppe burst through the door, his green eyes wide open. _

"_I want him out of here."_

"_What?" She jumped at his sudden harsh tone. "Who?"_

"_Damon Salvatore." He stuttered the name. "I want him gone, now."_

"_Why?" She arched her eyebrow, shaking her head. "What did he do?"_

"_Didn't you hear?" He pointed to the ballroom. "He was disrespectful towards me."_

"_Don't take it personal." She smiled. "That's just Damon, that's how he is."_

"_I want him out." Giuseppe crossed his arms over his chest, "now."_

"_I'm sorry but he's my friend." She shook her head. "I can't kick him out." _

"_I think you forget who's paying for this wedding." He approached her slowly. "I decide who stays and who goes."_

"_He's staying." She clenched her teeth together. "I'm the bride and I decide who I invite to my wedding."_

"_Lena?"_

_The door went open again, Damon's head peeking through the crack. His blue eyes darkened when he saw how close Giuseppe was standing in front of her. He walked inside the room and came to stand next to her, an apologizing expression on his face._

"_The hospital just called." He bit his lip. "There has been an accident, they need a heart surgeon."_

"_What?" She looked up at him, her eyes begging. "Can't someone else go?"_

"_I'm sorry, sweetie." He pecked her cheek. "But I really have to go."_

"_But it's my wedding." She pouted. _

"_I know." He rubbed her arm. "Congratulations and have fun."_

_Before she could say anything else, he disappeared through the door, leaving her behind with Giuseppe again. She looked up at the older man in front of her, crossing her arms over her chest. _

"_Seems like you got your wish after all."_

"_He's not supposed to be her." Giuseppe spat at her. "He's trash."_

"_He saves lives every day." She shook her head in disbelief. "How can you say something like that?"_

"_Because I know his type", he threw his arms up. "Stay away from him, Elena. I mean it."_

"_He's a witness in one of the cases I'm working on." She let out a hard laugh. "I can't just stay away from him even if I wanted to." _

"_You're going to be the death of Stefan." He glared at her. "You know that, right?" _

"_You wish."_

"You wish." She bumped her father's shoulder. "You dream about dying between those desserts."

"If I have to die, at least I want to do it the way I want to."

She shook her head at him as he took a big bite out one of the cupcakes and started chewing fiercely.

"Mommy."

Both their heads snapped up as Liam ran into the kitchen, his eyes red and puffy, his cheeks stained with tears. His chest was breathing heavy, his blue eyes looking frantically at them.

"Granny doesn't wake up."

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	7. Save what we once were

Thank you Deidre for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 7

_'Save what we once were'_

"It's my fault."

"No, baby. Don't you ever think that."

She cradled her son tighter against her chest, letting him sob into her shirt. Her eyes wandered around the waiting room of the hospital as she pressed kisses against his chestnut hair in an attempt to calm him down. Her father sat beside her, his eyes staring blankly at the white wall in front of them, his hands clutching the armrests in a tight grip.

"But I was with her." His tiny fists clawed on her jacket. "It's my fault."

"Stop saying that, Liam." She rocked him in her embrace. "This is no one's fault."

"But I was going to fix her." His big blue teary eyes looked up at her. "I want to fix her."

"The doctors are doing everything they can, okay?" She stroked his cheek, her own voice shaky. "We just have to hope for the best."

"I don't want granny to die."

Her heart broke the same second his cries echoed through the empty waiting room. The tears she had been trying to hold back started rolling down her cheeks now her son was laying broken in her arms. Her breathing was shaky as she clutched the boy tighter and tighter against her chest, trying to shield him from the cruel world they were in, trying to hide him from all the pain they were throwing at him.

"Auntie Bonnie is picking you up." She pressed her lips against his forehead. "You're going to spend the night with her."

"I don't want to go. I want to stay here." His fingers grabbed her blouse. "I want to fix granny."

"You can't fix her, Liam." She cupped his tear-stained face between her palms. "You have to be a strong boy for mommy and go stay with auntie Bonnie for the night, okay?"

"Can't I stay with auntie Caroline and uncle Ty?" A loud gasp left his throat as he started getting trouble breathing through the sobs. "I want to stay with auntie Care."

"Auntie Care and your daddy are coming here and Tyler had to work." She shook her head. "You have to stay with auntie Bonnie for one night, can you do that for mommy?"

"But mommy..." His lip trembled, his blue eyes clouded with the tears. "I want to stay with you."

"You can't stay here." She whispered, stroking his hair back. "The doctors will need a lot of time to fix your grandmother so I want you to go with auntie Bonnie and spend the night there."

"Elena?" Stefan came running into the waiting room, spotting his family on the dark brown couch. "How is she doing?"

"We don't know." She shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. "They won't tell us anything."

"They're probably still examining her." He crouched down in front of her knees. "She'll be fine."

"You don't know that." She shook her head. "She needs a new heart but it's not that easy to get one, there are people who are on a list for years and never get one."

"But she still has some time left without a new heart." He rubbed her knee. "Maybe this was just a warning."

"She can die from that warning, Stefan." Her eyes widened, staring into his. "You weren't there when we found her, she didn't breath, she didn't have a heartbeat, we thought she was dead until the paramedics arrived."

"It's my fault, daddy." Liam's blue eyes focused on Stefan. "I fell asleep next to her."

"No. No, Liam." Stefan wiped the tears from under the boy's eyes. "This is not your fault."

"I should have stayed awake." He reached for Stefan, wrapping his tiny arms around his neck. "I don't want granny to die."

"She will be fine." He picked the boy up and stroked his back. "It's not your fault."

"Stefan." Elena looked up at him, seeing her son bury his face against Stefan's neck. "Where is Caroline?"

"She had to be somewhere first." He shrugged, trying to soothe the boy in his arms. "She said she would be here in fifteen minutes."

"Okay." She whispered, looking at her father beside her.

"I'm going to take Liam for a walk." He rocked the five-year-old in his arms. "Some fresh air will do him good."

She could only nod as Liam continued sobbing against Stefan's neck. Her eyes followed them when Stefan grabbed Liam's coat from the chair and started walking to the exit, whispering soothing words in the boy's ear. A small sigh escaped her once they left the waiting room and she looked beside her, seeing her father still in the same position he had been a few minutes ago.

"Daddy?" She placed her hand above his on the armrest. "Are you okay?"

"I can't lose her." He focused on her, a single tear rolling down his cheek. "I won't know what to do without her."

A loud sob left her throat as she saw her father cry for the first time in her young life. The pieces of her heart that were already broken, broke further when more tears left his eyes, rolling down his cheeks to his jaw where they gathered and fell like raindrops on his shirt. Her arms wrapped around him like they had been wrapped around her son since the moment they found her mother's lifeless body on the bed.

"She'll be okay." She let her head rest on his shoulder. "We're not going to lose her."

"Let's hope so." He patted the arm that was wrapped around his chest. "Let's hope so."

"Gilbert?"

Their eyes both searched for the doctor that stood in the waiting room, his eyes finding their bodies on the couch. He started walking towards them, wearing his poker face, the white lab coat he was wearing fluttering against his legs.

"How is she?" Grayson stood up abruptly.

Elena got up too, placing her hand on her father's shoulder. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I'm sorry but.." The doctor turned his head over his shoulder as his name was called by a nurse. "Excuse me for a second."

"What?" Grayson's eyes went wide. "Tell me what's wrong with my wife!"

"Daddy." Elena placed her hand on his chest. "Maybe it's about mom, he'll come back and tell us everything."

"These young doctors." He shook his head. "They think because their parents payed thousands of dollars for their education that they can permit themselves everything."

"Calm down." She patted his chest. "He'll tell us everything in a minute."

Her eyes traveled back to the doctor that was now talking to the nurse. The expression on his face changed from disinterested to shock to disbelief. He shook his head at the nurse who was explaining everything by using her hands, his eyebrows knitted together as he seemed to understand what she was saying. She felt her father stiffen beside her when the doctor turned away from the nurse and approached them again. This time his eyes were sparkling, his body was tensed but filled with determination instead of despondent like a few minutes before.

"We're going to operate, sir." His young voice sounded excited. "I'll sent someone to explain it all to you."

"What kind of operation?" Grayson threw his arms up. "Is there a new heart?"

"I don't have any details, sir." The brown-haired man looked over his shoulder. "The doctors will find you when they're done operating."

"But those operations take hours." Grayson grabbed his arm when he was about to turn around. "Are we just supposed to sit here and wait without knowing what's going on?"

"I'm really sorry, sir." The doctor pulled his arm free and ran through the door of the emergency room.

"We'll have to wait for hours." Grayson sat down again, his face buried in his palms. "Those operations take hours."

"But it's a good thing they're operating on her, right?" She sat down beside him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "That means there's still hope?"

"I guess so." He looked up, his arms resting in his lap. "It depends on what kind of operation they're doing."

"You think she's getting a new heart?"

"They would need a heart that's suitable for your mother's blood type, there would have to be a transplant surgeon present, a dozen nurses." He shook his head tiredly. "I don't know if they can do something like that in a small hospital like this."

"Can't a cardiac surgeon do it?" She whispered, looking down in her lap. "Someone like Damon?"

"There would have to be one present." Grayson nodded. "But a transplant surgeon would perform the operation with a team of doctors and nurses."

"So you don't think she's getting a new heart?"

"Elena, don't get your hopes up." He took her hand in his and squeezed it. "I know what you're thinking but Damon is a big fish, they don't call him for something like this, he gets the big operations with a lot of show."

"But who is operating on her?" Her eyes teared up again. "Can we trust him?"

"His name is Dr. Miller, I've met him a few times when I was still a doctor." He rubbed her shoulder. "He's a good surgeon and he'll do everything he can to save your mother."

"But not as good as Damon?"

"There are few who are as good as Damon." He turned his head away from her, focusing on the wall. "But Dr. Miller will do everything he can."

She nodded, looking anywhere but his face. "I need coffee, do you want some?"

"No. Thank you."

* * *

><p>"I thought I'd find you here."<p>

"_I thought I'd find you here."_

"_It's my house." Giuseppe turned his head over his shoulder, mocking her. "Of course you find me here."_

"_The guests are leaving, they're asking for you." She placed her hands on the white fabric of the dress. "They'd like to say goodbye."_

"_So suddenly the guests are also my concern?" He scoffed, his green eyes narrowing. "They weren't a few hours ago."_

"_There are more of your business associates here than people I know." She threw her arms up. "Of course they want to say goodbye to you, you were the one who invited them."_

"_This is not my wedding, remember?" _

"_No." She clenched her teeth together. "But you're the one who's paying for it." _

_She lifted the skirt of her dress up and started walking to the door, feeling the anger boil inside her chest. Her lips pressed into a hard line as she heard him grumble behind her, sipping his bourbon in front of the fire. _

"_Don't you forget that." His voice made her pause in her step. "I made sure that you could have your dream wedding."_

"_This is not my dream wedding." She shook her head, keeping her back to him. "It's yours, because you wanted to make a big event out of it. You wanted us to invite every person we knew."_

"_Not every person." He rolled his eyes. "I didn't expect you to invite trash."_

"_Why not?" She turned around, her hands on her hips, her brown eyes boring into his green ones. "Because he's your son?"_

_She jumped as he stood up abruptly, the glass he had been holding shattered into a million pieces against the wall, his green eyes wide open, boring into hers. His chest was panting, his face hardened, his muscles stiff, his teeth clenching together. _

"_How do you know?"_

"_Admit it, Giuseppe." She cocked her head to the side. "I'm better at my job than you give me credit for."_

"_What do you know?"_

"_I know that nine months before Damon was born, Stefan's mother filed for divorce." She put her hands on her hips. "I know that your name is on Damon's birth certificate."_

"_So now you think you know it all." He let out a hard laugh, throwing his hands in the air. "Congratulations, Elena."_

"_No. I don't." She shook her head at him, her eyes softening. "I don't know why Stefan's mother didn't go through with the divorce or why you even bothered to put your name on Damon's birth certificate if you went back to your wife before he was born."_

"_If you want to hear the whole story, you better get me another glass." _

_He smirked, but this time it wasn't cold like she was used to. It was a mask he put up, a mask he wore when he didn't want people to see the hurt that was hidden underneath it, when his reality became to painful and he wanted to crawl away from it._

"_Here you go." She handed him the glass and sat down in front of him, the white dress draped around her._

"_I met Lauren the year after I married Helen." He sat down in front of her, his body sinking into the leather couch. "Lauren is Damon's mother."_

"_I know." She nodded. "I talked to her on the phone earlier today."_

"_You're calling Damon's mother?" His eyebrow arched. _

"_She called Damon and I was there." She shrugged, a smile coming across her lips. "They were pretty amusing."_

"_Lauren was always like that." He smiled softly, remembering. "She could make the grumpiest person in the bar roll over the floor. I think that's what I liked so much about her."_

"_How did you meet her?" She let her hands rest in her lap, her voice soft. _

"_Helen's father owned the company before me. I was his best salesman so he sent me to all parts of the country to promote his company and expand it." He locked his green eyes with hers. "One day he gave me an assignment in Chicago, that's where I met Lauren."_

"_And you fell in love with her?" She whispered, her eyes looking for his. _

"_I wouldn't call it love." He leaned back in his seat. "It was physical. She was so beautiful, with those blue eyes and a smile that made you melt. She could have any man she wanted."_

"_But she chose you." She smiled softly. _

"_For some reason she did." He let out a hard chuckle. "We started sleeping together but it didn't mean anything to me. I was young and I didn't know how much I was hurting my wife."_

"_Did Helen find out?" She looked up at him. "About the affair?"_

"_I told her everything once I got home." He buried his face in his hands. "I felt so guilty but Lauren she just pulled me in and made me forget about the fact that I was married."_

"_That's when Helen wanted to divorce you." She whispered. "You told her."_

"_She was so mad that she filed for divorce the day after I told her." He shook his head and sighed. "But who could blame her? Her husband cheated on her."_

"_But she never went through with it." Her eyebrows knitted together. "Because you were still married when she died."_

"_We worked it out. I told her that it meant nothing to me, because it didn't mean anything to me." He shrugged. "She forgave me and we moved on until three months later Lauren called me and told me she was pregnant."_

"_What did Helen say?"_

"_I was raised in a family where they always told you that you had to take responsibility for your actions and Helen understood that." His green eyes darkened. "So the day after Damon was born I traveled to Chicago and signed the birth certificate."_

"_But why doesn't Damon know you?" She shook her head. "If you were there when he was born.."_

"_When I asked if I could see my son.." He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "Lauren told me she would only let me see him if I chose her and left my wife."_

"_You chose your wife." Her voice was soft. "You left your son."_

"_Of course I did. I loved my wife." He smiled softly. "Helen thought that she would get a child, we had been trying for months to get pregnant but it just didn't work out... so when she heard about Lauren's pregnancy, she thought that maybe she could be a mom a few times a year when Lauren's son came to visit his father. But we both know that's not how it worked out."_

"_Lauren forbid you to see him?" _

"_She did." He nodded. "And I think some part of Helen was relieved about that. She wouldn't have to think about the fact that I had a child with another woman. But we asked Lauren if she wanted money or baby clothes or whatever she wanted for the baby but she didn't want anything. She wanted me to disappear out of her life and raise him on her own." _

"_Damon thinks you don't want him." She leaned forward, locking their eyes. "He thinks you never wanted him."_

"_And he's right." Giuseppe stood up. "Getting involved with Lauren was a mistake, cheating on my wife was a mistake and signing that birth certificate was the biggest mistake of them all."_

"_It was not." She got up too, grabbing his arm. "He's your son and he deserves to know."_

"_Damon will never know, you got that?" His green eyes bored into hers. "I walked out on him thirty years ago and I'm not going to walk in his life now."_

"_But if you would just meet him and get to know him.." _

"_NO." His eyes went wide, his fists grabbing her upper arms. "I didn't want him thirty years ago and I still don't want him. Stefan will never know that I cheated on his mother and that he has a stepbrother somewhere because I couldn't keep it in my pants."_

"_But you have to think about Damon." Her eyes were begging him. "He deserves to know who his father is."_

"_I think Damon manages just fine without a father." He let out a hard laugh. "I think he knows better how to stand up for himself than Stefan does."_

"_And still you call him trash." She shook her head at him. "He's not trash, he's amazing."_

"_It doesn't matter what he is, I want nothing to do with him." _

"_You don't deserve him." She pulled her arm free out of his grip. "He's too good for you."_

_His face hardened as she spat the words in his face, his whole body going stiff in front of her. She turned away from him and started walking to the door, her hands balled into fists next to her. _

"_Are you going back the the party?"_

"_Where else?"_

"Where else?" She sighed and turned to Caroline. "I needed coffee."

"One of the two things Damon taught you." Caroline shook her head in amusement. "Coffee is the answer to everything."

"What is the other thing he taught me?" She arched her eyebrow at her friend.

"Sarcasm."

"Thank you for coming." She wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck. "I told my son he had to stay with Bonnie because I wanted you for myself."

"I know." Caroline hugged her tightly. "I saw Stefan and Bonnie with Liam on the parking lot. He wasn't so happy to see Bonnie."

"He doesn't like staying with Bonnie." She straightened her shoulders and pressed the button on the coffee machine. "But I just couldn't deal with Bonnie right now."

"So you made sure she had to watch Liam and couldn't come her."

"I learned tact from you." She punched Caroline's shoulder.

"How's your mom?" Caroline's tone softened. "I tried to come here as soon as I heard."

"We don't know anything." She lifted her shoulders, tearing up. "We know they're operating on her but we don't know what they're doing or what's happening in there."

"What happened?" Caroline shook her head. "Did she have a heart attack or something?"

"We don't know. Liam found her..." She shook her head, searching for words. "Suddenly he was standing in the kitchen, crying and screaming that mom didn't want to wake up."

"How is he doing?" Caroline rubbed her shoulder. "It's must have been hard on him to see that."

"He thinks it's his fault, he's blaming himself." More tears welled up in her eyes. "I wish he would have never had to see that. If he hadn't, god knows how long it would have taken before we found her but that look on his face when he ran into the kitchen...I'll never forget that look again."

"Children forget things like that quickly." Caroline smiled softly. "It's a drama today and a distant memory tomorrow."

"Let's hope so." She whispered. "Because I can't stand the idea of him blaming himself."

"Bonnie picked Liam up." Stefan walked into the small room.

"Good." Elena nodded and smiled. "He needs his rest."

"I don't think he'll sleep much."

"None of us will."

* * *

><p>Her eyes were focused on the white wall in front of her, hearing the seconds tick away in her head, the hours passing slower than ever. Stefan's fingers ran through her long brown locks as she rested her head on his shoulder. Her thumb was gently stroking her father's hand that lay between their bodies on the couch. The silence in the room was every few minutes broken when Caroline turned a page from the magazine she was reading. The sobs had faded away a long time ago when her body became to tired to produce any new tears and just settled for being comforted in her husband's embrace.<p>

"It's been eight hours." Her voice broke the long silence. "Shouldn't we have heard something by now?"

"No news is good news." Caroline smiled at her and grabbed another magazine from the table.

"It means she's still alive."

All their heads snapped to the side as her father spoke the words, his voice lower and softer than she had ever heard it, more broken than she had ever imagined hearing it. She moved her body so she could lean against him and give him the same comfort she needed. He pressed a kiss against her forehead and squeezed her arm, letting his cheek rest against her crown.

"Grayson Gilbert?"

Her eyes traveled over the man in the door, wearing the green fabric she had seen Damon countless time in. Her heart started beating faster in her chest as she noticed his tired gaze, dark circles under his eyes.

"Dr. Miller." Her father stood up, walking in the man's direction. "How's my wife?"

"We were able to repair the damage." The man nodded.

"Thank god." Grayson threw his arms around him, patting his shoulder. "Thank you so much."

Tears started rolling down her cheeks again as she saw the picture in front of her, the doctor slightly uncomfortable by her father's embrace but smiling nonetheless. A smile appeared on her face as she turned her head around and was met with Caroline's blond curls and bright white teeth.

"She's going to be okay." The blonde squeezed her tightly. "I knew she would be."

"I was so scared." She wiped the tears away from her cheeks. "I thought I was going to lose her."

"She's a fighter." Caroline ruffled her hair. "Just like her daughter."

"They're both strong women." Grayson stood behind her, kissing his daughter's cheek. "I couldn't be more proud of them."

"Can we see her?" Elena looked up at her father, locking their eyes. "I want to see her."

"No." He shook his head. "The doctor said it will take a few hours before we can see her."

"But she's going to be okay, right?"

"She'll be okay." He hugged her tightly against his chest. "She doesn't have a new heart but they were able to fix whatever was wrong."

"You don't sound like a very good doctor right now, dad." She rolled her eyes, chuckling at the bright smile on his face.

"I'm too happy to be a doctor right now." He rubbed her arms and let out a sigh of relief. "I can really use that coffee right now."

"I can use one too." She took a deep breath, turning over her shoulder to Caroline and Stefan. "Anyone else?"

"Me." Caroline got up, stretching. "I really want to stretch my legs for a bit."

"I'm going to give Bonnie a call to check up on Liam." Stefan got up and pecked her cheek.

She nodded and linked her arm with her father's. They walked to the coffee machine with a huge smile on both their faces with Caroline on their trail, humming a song. Voices came out of the small room as they approached it, the men it belonged to, leaning against the back wall of the room.

"The Gilbert woman, I thought she was dead."

Grayson pulled his daughter behind him as he heard the words echo through the small room. Her breath hitched as she pressed herself against the wall and focused on the voices in the room. Caroline did the same and stood beside her, squeezing her hand.

"So did I." The strong male voice snorted. "I was ready to tell the family that she was a lost cause and suddenly a nurse calls me back and tells me Damon Salvatore walked in and wants to operate on her."

"The guy's crazy." The other man sighed. "We thought there was no way to save that woman."

"Crazy or not." The man let out a hard laugh. "They say he's one of the best cardiac surgeons in the country."

Her heart started beating faster again as she processed the words in her mind, her father's body stiffened next to her, his hands clenching into fists on his side. A sob left her as she thought about how they were going to give up on her mother.

"You called him, didn't you?" She turned her head around, focusing her brown teary eyes on Caroline's blue ones. "You called him."

"You can thank me later." Caroline gave her the typical Caroline-smile.

"He saved her." Her father's voice made her head snap to the other side. "They were going to give up on her."

"I..." She stammered, shaking her head. "I..."

"Go." Grayson whispered. "Go to him."

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	8. Lights will guide you home

Thank you Lauren for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 8

_'Lights will guide you home'_

"You saved her."

Her eyes traveled over his back, the black leather jacket in place like always. His hair was pointing in all different directions, messy, the way she liked it the most. His head turned softly to the side once he heard her voice, revealing the side of his face. And just by seeing his jaw and the soft skin between his neck and cheek, you could tell he was beautiful, that if he revealed the rest of his face you would forever be burned by him, just like she would forever be burned by his whole being. His soul had left a mark on hers, only to leave a cut when they separated. His body had made itself the owner of hers, possessing and claiming it like no man had done before him. Her heart had found its home with him, only to stay there even after she left him. So she could never love another man again.

"Couldn't let your mom die, could I?"

His eyes didn't focus on her as he spoke; he knew who he was talking to. His body could feel her presence like she could feel his, their souls could touch each other and be complete again, their hearts saw the person they would always love the most but fear because they had been hurt before.

"I don't know how to thank you." She sat down on the bar stool next to him, her eyes pointed at the wooden counter of the bar. "I can never thank you enough."

"Why don't you forgive me for what I said about your son?" He played with the cup in his hand. "That would be a thank you."

"Then I would have to ask you to forgive me for hitting you." She chuckled softly. "That would bring us back to where we left off."

"I deserved it." He sipped his coffee. "You had every right to hit me after what I said."

"I'm studying for the bar." She whispered softly, looking up slowly. "You were right, you can't pass if you don't try."

She swallowed back the lump in her throat when he slowly turned his head to the side, his eyes focusing on hers. Her heart started beating faster as it remembered the moments it had been lost in that ocean of blue, the many nights they had hovered above her and possessed her, made her aware of a world she never dreamed of existing, the days she had been longing to see them again, to hold her captive in his world and hide her from the reality she had been living in.

"Good." He nodded firmly, a shimmer crossing his blue eyes. "You should try it."

"You seem tired." She whispered softly, restraining herself from touching his arm. "You still work too much."

"And you still worry too much." He shook his head at her. "You always did."

"I'm a good girl." She cocked her head to the side, smiling. "I care about people."

"You, a good girl?" His eyes shimmered in amusement. "That's not what I remember."

"You pulled me to the dark side." She smacked his arm. "You always made me do things I'd regret."

"Don't blame me." He laughed, the blue eyes glimmering. "You were always into the kinky stuff."

"I was not."

"Oh no?" He smirked, a devilish grin on his face. "Who was the one that wanted to try anal?"

A gasp left her throat, her eyes going wide. "You cannot say that in a public place!"

"Anal." He sing-songed. "'Lena loves anal."

She jumped off the stool and covered his mouth with her hand as he kept singing the forbidden words. He grabbed her arm and tried to get his hand away from her, only to get his knee kicked. He gasped in pain and started licking her hand to get it away from his mouth. She only pressed it firmer against his lips until he bit down in one of her fingers.

"'Lena loves anal."

"Stop it." She chuckled, holding his face in her hands. "Stop, Damon."

"Anal."

She threw her head back with laughter as he kept repeating the words like a little kid that just discovered a dirty expression. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders while she buried her face against his neck, her body shaking with laughter while she begged him to stop.

He started whispering the words more softly once she stopped begging him and just held his body against hers, remembering how good it felt to have him against her. Her skin tingled when it was reminded of his touch, their pores pressing against each other. She pressed her nose deeper into his skin, breathing him in like she always did, memorizing the scent she had grown so attached to.

She had forgotten how it felt to just hold him in her arms, to let her chest breathe against his and forget all her worries from the past day. It was what she always used to do, holding him in her arms during the night while he slept, stroking his hair back so she could see his face, unveiling every piece of her skin so she could press it against his.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" He wrapped his arms tighter around her waist.

"Too good."

She jumped as the ringing sound cut through the silence in the bar. She slowly untangled her body from his and opened her purse, finding the phone at the bottom.

"It's Bonnie." She whispered while looking at the screen. "She's watching my son, I have to take this."

"Of course."

"Bonnie?"

"Mommy?" The cries from the boy cut through her like a knife. "Mommy?"

"I'm here, sweetie." She wiped away the tear that escaped her eye. "Why are you still up?"

"_Why are you still up?"_

_She chuckled softly as she heard the teasing voice behind her and turned around, watching him approach slowly between the empty tables of the ballroom. The jacket of his suit was draped over his shoulder, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up. His black hair was messy and damp from the rain outside._

"_Better question." He draped his jacket over one of the chairs. "Why aren't you having hot wedding night sex with your husband?"_

"_He was drunk." She shrugged. "Let's just say his performance suffers from it."_

"_Ouch." His face pulled into a mock-pained expression. "Painful."_

"_So are my feet." She bent down and removed her shoes, draping the skirt of the dress back in place. "I'll never wear those again."_

"_So how was the party?"_

"_We were halfway through it when I realized I didn't know half of the people that were here." She swung her arms in the air. "But I guess Giuseppe's associates had a great time."_

"_I'm sorry." He put his hands in his pockets, looking up at her. "I wanted to be back sooner."_

"_I got that from your text." She smiled at him, rolling her eyes. "Three hours ago."_

"_I had to go back in..." He threw his arms up. "There were complications."_

"_Well… you're here now." She laughed at his cute face. "Finally."_

_He chuckled and watched her sway in the long white dress, the pins had been removed from her hair and it now hung in loose waves draped around her face. Her makeup was a bit smeared, not the perfect picture anymore like she was a few hours ago when she stood at the altar. Her barefeet were tracing the patterns of the wooden floor, her toenails painted red and shiny._

"_I promised you a dance."_

_She smiled shyly, biting her lip nervously. "We don't have any music."_

"_Then we'll just have to imagine."_

_He grabbed her arm, twirling her around and back in his arms. She chuckled as their chests collided against each other, her chin resting on his shoulder. He placed a hand on the small of her back and pulled her closer, pulling their lower bodies together. She placed one of her feet between his and swayed with him to the imaginary music._

"_Watch out for my toes." She breathed against his neck. "I'm not wearing any shoes."_

"_Don't worry." His warm breath made goose bumps run down her spine. "There's a doctor in the house."_

"_I know all about you. Dr. Salvatore." She laughed softly against his jaw. "I googled you."_

"_You did?" He looked down at her, an amused expression on his face. "What did Google say about me?"_

"_That you're one of the best." She let her head rest against his cheek. "That there's no other heart surgeon in the country who's as good as you."_

"_They lied." He wrapped his arms tighter around her. "The best doctors are the ones who've been doing this for years, they have more experience than any education can ever offer."_

"_You're always so cocky but when it comes to your job, you're the most modest man I've ever met." She looked up at him, locking their eyes. "Why a heart surgeon?"_

"_Because of my mom." He let his chin rest on her crown. "She has a heart condition but they can't treat it so I'll have to find something myself."_

"_You love her." She whispered against his chest. "You're a mommy's boy."_

"_Don't tell anyone." He smirked against her face. "Especially not my mom."_

"_Do you miss your father, Damon?" She traced patterns on his white shirt._

"_I don't know him." He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "So how can I miss him?"_

"_I don't know." She shook her head against his chest. "I just know that I would miss my dad even if I never knew him."_

"_He walked out on me, he didn't want me." His jaw tightened, his muscles stiff in her embrace. "I won't miss him if he doesn't miss me."_

"_He doesn't deserve you." She looked up, cupping his face in her hands. "You're too good for him."_

"_Nice plea." He kissed her forehead. "You're going to make a great lawyer someday."_

"_I mean it." She pressed her nose against his, her lips breathing against his. "He doesn't deserve to know you."_

"_I never met him, but I don't miss him." His blue eyes bored into her brown ones, his warm breath against her parted lips. "But I would miss you."_

_Her eyes welled up with tears as her fingers tangled in his hair, the same emotions running through her veins. Her eyes looking into his, imagining a life without him, how impossible it seemed to not have him there anymore. Her mind couldn't create an imagine anymore where he was not there beside her, not there to dare her and tease her, not there to push her to be stronger and chase her dreams. It had taken a marriage to realize which man was supposed to be standing beside her in ten years, which man she wanted to be there._

_She had to marry another man to realize that ever since she met him, her life wasn't empty anymore. She got up in the morning with the prospect of seeing him a few hours later; her body would tingle in joy whenever he was around, her own skin felt like home again since he had arrived. But from all the changes, there had been one she didn't miss. The children in her dreams did no longer have green eyes and blond hair but were instead replaced with ocean blue eyes and chestnut hair like her own. An image she savored so desperately._

_Her lips trembled against his for a second, before she pushed her body forward and collided them together. She could feel the shock in his body, the way his muscles stiffened underneath her palms, his lips frozen underneath her warm touch. Her breathing was shaky as she waited for him to answer, her fingers already clawing his shirt in her fists. Her mouth pressed a soft kiss against his lips, feeling them respond softly, gently. And when she pressed another kiss against his mouth, he met her more demanding, his lips pressing longer against hers. She pressed her chest into his as his lips melted under hers, his kisses getting more demanding with every movement. A growl left his chest when his hand tangled in her hair and grabbed it in a fist, his other hand cupped her face, holding it in place for him to posses her properly._

_And for the first time in her life she felt what is was like to be consumed by someone, to drown in them and lose yourself in them. How it felt to push your soul in someone else's body and let it obey to their every demand. Her heart started beating faster into her chest as it met a fire it had never felt before. Her body arched into his, every curve in her body fitting exactly into every curve of his. Her fingers and nails clawed on his clothes to get more of him against her, for the first time in her life understanding the word need. She now understood the people that needed their lover to breathe properly and to get through the day. Because she felt like there wouldn't be another day she could live through without him being there, without being able to breathe him in and lose herself in who he was._

"_Elena." He whispered huskily, pulling his lips away from hers, pushing her body away from his. "Go to your husband."_

_Tears rolled down her cheeks as she pulled away from him, keeping their eyes locked while she stepped backwards. She was married now, someone else's wife, someone else's property and someone else's lover. Her heart had been given away before it had met the feelings it was supposed to know. It had been given to another man because it hadn't known feelings like this before he made her feel it._

"_Damon..."_

"_I think it's better if Caroline preps me for the case from now on." He bit his bottom lip gently, like he was still tasting her._

"_This is what happened yesterday, isn't it?" She held her own chest, hugging herself. "That's why I have these images in my mind, it happened before."_

"_You were drunk, it didn't mean anything." He shook his head. "I didn't want you to worry about a stupid mistake."_

"_But you let me get married while you knew I cheated on my fiance." She placed her hand on her forehead. "How could you do that?"_

"_It didn't mean anything." He turned around and walked to the chair, grabbing his jacket. "We should both forget about what happened and move on."_

"_Damon..."_

"_Go to your husband, Elena."_

_Her arms fell limp beside her as he started walking away from her, swinging his jacket back over his shoulder. Her heart drummed in her throat when the door slammed shut and seemed to slam right through her core. Her knees started wobbling and gave out from under her, making her fall on her bare knees, her palms spread on the wooden floor underneath her. Tears ran down her cheeks, sobs left her throat as the reality of her actions hit her. But one reality cut deeper than the other ones; the prospect of living without him, to face a life without him. She was scared in a world without him._

"I'm scared without you." His young voice cried through the phone. "I don't want to stay here."

"It's okay, sweetie." She whispered into the phone. "You've known Auntie Bonnie your whole life."

"But I want to be with you and Granny." He sobbed into the phone. "I'm going to fix her."

"Sweetie, Granny is going to be all right." She exchanged a look with Damon.

"So it's not my fault?" His voice pitched. "I didn't do anything wrong?"

"No, you didn't."

"But then why did she get sick?"

She sighed into the phone, looking for words. Her eyes searched through the room, locking with the blue ones in front of her.

"Why don't I let someone explain it to you?" She gave Damon a look, smirking. "I'm sure he can tell you what went wrong."

"Okay."

"Here." She put the phone on speaker and extended it to him. "Explain to him what happened."

"What's his name?" He took the phone from her, scanning her face.

She swallowed back the lump in her throat. Could she tell him that she had called her son after him? That she couldn't stand the thought of him belonging to anyone else so she named him after him to remind the people that knew whose son he was.

"Liam." She whispered, adverting her gaze from his. "His name is Liam."

He arched his eyebrow at her, a small smile on his lips while he held the phone in front of him. Her heart started beating faster as she for the first time realized how much she actually wanted to hear him talk to their son, how much she wanted to see Liam in his arms and snuggle into his chest. Those two pairs of blue eyes staring up at her with the same smirk on their faces.

"Hi Liam."

"Hello." Her son's timid voice made her chuckle. "Who are you?"

"I'm Damon." He smirked at her.

"Hi Damon." Liam chuckled softly. "Mommy says I can't talk to strangers."

"And she's right." He rolled his eyes. "But I think you can talk to strangers when your mommy gives them her phone."

Her son's warm laugh came out the speakers. "You're smart."

"Yes, I am."

"Good job, Liam." She muttered under her breath. "Stroke his ego, exactly what he needs."

"Do you know what happened to Granny?" Liam whispered quietly, the hurt notable in his voice. "Was it my fault she got sick?"

"No buddy." Damon's eyebrows knitted together. "There was a clot in her coronary artery that closed the vein off so the blood was blocked in front of it and made the artery pop open so the heart didn't get any blood or oxygen anymore."

"Oww..." Liam breathed into the phone. "I'll let Mommy Google it."

"You do that."

"So it's really not my fault?" His voice was more excited, more alive.

"No. It was that clot's fault." Damon chuckled softly. "You had nothing to do with it."

"But the clot is gone?"

"The clot is gone." Damon nodded.

"Where is the clot now?"

"Uh..." He arched his eyebrow at her, frowning. "At the hospital."

"Can I kick it?" Liam growled. "It hurt my granny!"

"That's going to be difficult." He bit his lip, shaking his head in amusement. "The clot isn't really there anymore."

"Did they put him in a corner like when I do something bad?" Liam gasped.

"Yeahh.." Damon chuckled softly. "Something like that."

"Can I talk to Mommy?"

"Sure." He looked at her and back to the phone. "She's right here."

"I'm here Liam."

"Mommy, do I really have to stay?" He whispered into the phone. "I want to stay with you."

"Liam, how did you even call me?"

"Speed-dial." He answered like it was the most normal thing in the world. "You're number two and Auntie Care number three and number one is some crazy lady that said I had to stay calm and they would find out where I live but I just asked for you, they don't need to find out where I live."

Damon spit his coffee out, shaking with laughter.

"Liam." She gasped in shock. "You can't just push random buttons on the phone."

"But I got it right the second time."

Damon waved his phone in front of her and smirked. "I'll take care of that."

"Just don't do it again, okay?" She sighed and nodded her head at Damon. "If you wanted to call me you should have asked Auntie Bonnie."

"Okay." He whispered defeated. "But do I really have to stay here?"

"It's four am and it's snowing, Liam." She rolled her eyes. "You should have been asleep long ago."

"Please, Mommy?"

"You think you can stay awake for another hour?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's going to take a while before I get there."

"I'll stay awake." He yawned. "Bye Mommy."

"Bye sweetie."

Damon's blue eyes were focused on her as she ended the call and dove back in her purse to put her phone away. He smiled softly, his eyes scanning her face. A sigh escaped her when his smiling turned into laughing.

"Stop it." She punched his shoulder. "He's just a little boy."

"Well, I called the emergency room and they canceled the ambulance." He shook his head. "You have to give the kid some credit, he's smart."

"He's like you on caffeine twenty-four hours a day." She sat down on the stool again. "He pulls off a lot of stunts but he's a good kid."

"He seems like a good kid." He motioned the bartender for another coffee.

"Another one?" She arched her eyebrow. "You drink too much coffee."

"I tell all my patients to stop drinking coffee so I have to make sure the economy doesn't suffer from it." He shrugged indifferently.

"Deep down you're good person, Salvatore." She shook her head at him. "Very deep down."

"Come on." He accepted his coffee from the bartender and got up. "You don't want to be stuck with me in a bar all night."

"I would survive." She rolled her eyes. "It's nothing I haven't done before."

He smirked and started walking to the exit. She sighed and got up, walking after him. A shiver went down her spine once she got outside and felt the cold air against her skin, she pulled her jacket tighter around her and walked next to him, falling into pace with him.

"So Liam?" He turned his head around, smirking at her. "I always knew you wouldn't forget about me."

"I liked the name." She shrugged, glaring at him. "I always have."

"I know." He nodded more seriously.

"So..."

"So..." He repeated, biting his lip. "Elena, I have to tell you something."

"What?" She looked up at him, her eyes searching for his.

"I didn't save your mother." He paused in his step, turning his body to her. "I just bought her time."

Her eyes welled up with new tears, the foundation of their relationship made its presence known again, the thing that had formed the cement between them, honesty. He didn't lie to her and she knew he would give her the harsh truth when everyone tried to keep it away from her. He didn't sugarcoat and for some reason that had been one of the things she loved the most about him.

"She needs a new heart." His mouth pressed into a hard line. "And soon. Like yesterday."

"How much time?" She whispered. "Weeks? Months?"

"I don't know." He shrugged, letting out a hard laugh. "It depends on her heart, she can die tomorrow or she can live for another five years."

"But can't you fix it if this happens another time?" She looked up at him with wide eyes. "You were able to fix it now..."

"It's not that simple, Elena." He rubbed her shoulder, squeezing it. "The next time I won't be able to save her unless there's a new heart available."

She nodded slowly, her eyes finding his again. "But will you try? Even if you know you can't save her?"

"You know I will." He pushed one of her brown locks behind her ear, his eyes boring into hers.

She placed her hand above his, pushing his skin against her cheek. Her eyes losing themselves in his ocean blue ones, sharing every thought with just one look, words overrated when it came to baring your soul to the one that held the other half. They never needed words; one touch would explain everything she felt, with one look he knew exactly what was going on in her mind. Her core was like a book to him, he read every paragraph and memorized it, living the storyline with her.

"I'm so proud of you." He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "You're so much stronger now than the first time I met you."

"I had to be." She pressed a kiss in his palm. "You weren't here anymore."

"I curse myself every day for what happened." His thumb rested on her lips. "I miss you so much."

"I miss you too." Her lips parted under his touch. "But you broke my heart, I can't trust you anymore."

"It scares you, it scared you five years ago and it still does." He smiled softly. "You're scared to love that much."

"I'm not scared." She pulled her hand from his, letting it fall limp beside her.

"Then say it." He pulled his hand back, his blue eyes boring into hers.

"Say what?"

"I still love you."

"I don't." She shook her head, crossing her arms. "I stopped loving you the day I left you."

"You can't just walk away from it, Elena." He rolled his eyes. "You can run from it but it catches up to you."

"Then I'll just have to run faster." She started walking away from him, clutching her bag to her.

"It already caught up with you." He came after her, fastening his pace. "I'm here again and we're back to where we were five years ago. We're tiptoeing around each other and waiting for the moment one of us throws themself at the other."

"The only thing I'll be throwing at you is..." She shook her head, thinking. "A cake, a really, really large cake. Right into your face."

"Fine." He grabbed her arm, turning her to him. "Just not one with fruit on it, okay?"

She stared at him, noticing the smirk on his face, the shimmer in his blue eyes, his hand that rested on her arm. She started shaking her head slowly, with every movement her laugh became louder and warmer. Her brown eyes focused on him again as she let her laugh escape in the cold night air.

The day she left him, she didn't just lose her lover or the future she had planned out. She lost her best friend, the one that could make her smile when the world was falling down on her, the one she shared her most intimate thoughts with. She never kept any secrets from him, not in her mind or not in her body. He knew every piece of her and that was exactly why they had been stronger than any other couple she knew. She couldn't stand the thought of keeping a secret from him, it didn't feel safe when he didn't know what was going on in her life so he became her rock, the one she always counted on and sought support in. He became her guide, the one that led her through life and helped her get over the bumpy roads. He became her savior, the one that was able to pull her away from everything she didn't want to be.

"How could we ever work?" She chuckled, shaking her head. "We always fight."

"That's what we do." He squeezed her arm, rolling his eyes. "We fight, we make up and have sex."

"Not tonight." She shook her head, searching in her purse. "I have to pick up my son."

"That's fine." He shrugged, smirking. "We can reschedule."

"I'm married, Damon." She sighed, finding her keys. "Whatever happened five years ago, will not happen again."

"One day you're going to wake up.." His blue eyes bored into hers. "..and you're going to realize that you're living a life you never wanted to live."

"I have to go Damon." She looked up, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "You should get some sleep, you look tired."

"I have another operation in an hour." He chuckled softly. "I thought this was going to be an easy day."

"I'm not sorry that Caroline called you." She shook her head at him. "Otherwise I wouldn't have my mom anymore."

"She was right to call me." His eyes scanned her face. "You should have called me the second you found her."

"My dad said he trusted the doctor." She shrugged, defeated. "But then we heard they were going to give up on her."

"If she had been any other patient, I would have given up on her too." His eyes filled with remorse. "I never thought I would be able to pull her through it."

"But at least you tried." She extended her hand to touch his cheek. "You didn't give up on her and you gave us more time with her."

"She's not going to be the same, Elena." He shook his head. "Her heart is failing, she'll be tired all the time, probably in pain, her body won't be able to fight diseases or infections."

"But she'll live." A smile came across her face. "And maybe we'll get lucky and there will be a heart for her."

"I really hope so."

"I have to pick Liam up." She pulled her hand back and adjusted her coat. "He's impatient enough as it is."

"You shouldn't be driving in this weather." He arched his eyebrow. "The roads are probably blocked."

"You know what they say, a mother does anything for her child."

"It suits you. Being a mom." He smiled softly. "I always knew you would be a great mom someday."

"I always knew you would be a great dad." She locked their eyes. "You should start your own family, Damon."

"When you're ready to leave your husband, I will."

Her body froze, her eyes boring into his until he smiled softly and with a nod he turned around, walking away from her. Her heart drummed louder and louder in her ears as she watched him walk away in the dark night, his form lightened by the street lights.

"Damon."

He turned around, his eyes locking with hers, her eyes looking at him. He was thirty-five, going to thirty-six and still there would be models half his age who would kill to have his looks. Those blue eyes that could bore into your soul and get to the deepest of your core just with one glance at you. The messy black hair that teenage boys tried to accomplish with gel, came natural to him, like he was born with it and owned the hairstyle. His body muscled and his hard stomach held abs that made women swoon.

She had been too young and too naive when she met him, to realize that she would never meet someone more beautiful. Her eyes hadn't known how to see beauty, how to appreciate and worship it. It was after she left him she started realizing how perfect he really was, how any man would be less than him, even her own husband. The husband she had loved in high school and thought to love forever.

But she had never really known love until five years ago, when he forced it on her and made her addicted to it. She started craving it more and more, and every time she left him even for a few hours, she would notice the withdrawals, the way her heart screamed for him, the way her body longed for his touch, how her soul begged to re-collide with his.

He burned her with his love and she carried the scars in her heart, only to realize five years later that those scars could only be healed by him. She had lost a part of herself the day she left him, only to find it again when he showed up on her doorstep. Her heart had been alone, drowning in a pool of loneliness until he gave her his back and saved it from sinking.

"He still can't do it."

And they both knew what she meant, the one thing that really separated him from all other men. He could make her skin tingle with just one breath, make her heart beat faster with just one touch, possess her like no one else ever would. He knew she loved it, she made him do it countless times because she loved being owned by him, to feel the power he had over her and revel in it, her body knew the feelings because it had become home.

He held his hand out to her, standing in the snow that fell next to his feet, his body in the street light. She swallowed back the lump in her throat and walked slowly to the middle of the street, feeling the snow squeak beneath her feet.

"Because he isn't the one for you."

He pulled her in his embrace, pressing her tightly against him, his hands rested on her back while his cheek pressed against hers, his warm breath on her skin. He kissed her neck gently, nibbling on the soft skin; a tear escaped her eye as he stroked her hair back and pressed his lips against her pulse point, her cold body immediately warming up under his touch. She buried her face against his neck, breathing against his cold skin, her arms wrapped around him, pressing herself firmer against his chest.

"I know he isn't."

Tears rolled down her cheeks as he made her feel what only he could make her feel, torture her with those feelings and own her with them. A sob escaped her while he only kissed more of her skin, his lips placing open mouth kisses on every pore. She clawed him tighter against her, feeling the familiar warmth again, the feeling of coming home after being away for such a long time.

"I have to go." He whispered huskily in her ear.

"I know." She nodded her head, squeezing him more tightly. "I have to go too."

"Be careful on the road." He kissed her forehead. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

"My father is still at the hospital." She looked up at him, locking their eyes. "You should talk to him, I think he could use his buddy right now."

"I will." He nodded, untangling their bodies. "I guess my brother is still there with him."

"I don't know if Stefan is still there." She shook her head. "Maybe he already went home."

"Does he even know I'm here?" He arched his eyebrow at her. "Did you tell him?"

"I told him about the trial and why I lost my job." She shrugged. "But he would only worry if he knows you're here."

"Does he have a reason to worry?"

"We both know he has." She took a step backwards, leaving the comfort of his body. "We were never just an affair."

"So you do remember."

"How could I ever forget?"

She turned around, holding the keys of her car in her hand. Tears welled up in her eyes again as she drove away from him, leaving him standing in the cold for the second time in her life.

* * *

><p>"Can we visit Granny tomorrow?"<p>

"I don't know if they'll let us with her, Liam." She smiled as he struggled with the seat belt. "But we'll call the hospital tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Okay." His blue eyes went back to the road in front of them. "Mommy, who's Damon?"

"He's the heart surgeon I told you about." She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. "Do you remember?"

"Yes." His eyes went wide. "Is he really a heart surgeon?"

"He's the real deal." She chuckled.

"Can I meet him, Mommy?" His blue eyes focused on her. "He sounded so smart."

"We'll see about that." She started tapping more impatiently. "Aren't you tired?"

"A little bit." He yawned, his blue eyes fluttering. "I just couldn't sleep until they fixed Granny."

"You can sleep now, she's going to be fine." She stroked his hair as his head leaned against the car seat and his eyes fell shut. "Daddy saved her."

"Good." He whispered softly, his voice sleepy, too tired to register the words she had just spoken.

She put the car in gear and drove forward as the light turned green. Liam's blue eyes flew open as soon as they both heard the heavy horn, the impact of the truck shaking their bodies, the cries of her son filling the spinning car.

"Mommy!"

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	9. There are rules I had to break

Thank you Yolanda for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 9

_'There are rules I had to break'_

"Damon."

His head turned to the side as the shaky voice called his name. His heart started beating faster in his chest as he saw the man approach, tears rolling down his cheeks, his eyes red and puffy, his whole body filled with stress.

"Grayson." He reached for the man's shoulder as he came to stand in front of him. "What happened?"

"It's Elena."

With those few words his world came crashing down on him. His blue eyes traveled over Grayson's tearstained face, his own heart starting to feel the same pain as he slowly began to understand what the words meant, what the hidden truth behind them was.

"Where is she?"

"They brought her to the emergency room."

His soul remembered the woman that had walked beside him just a few hours ago, her cheeks red and her brown doe eyes looking up at him. The warmth that had radiated from her and closed him in the bubble with her so he was finally home again after all those years. So his soul was finally whole again after a long time of being alone.

He didn't even take the time to give Grayson a second look before he started running, his feet going faster than he thought possible. His heart drummed in his chest as he ran down the stairs, almost counting them in his head to keep himself from thinking the worst possible scenario. The white doors slammed against the walls as he burst through them, his eyes looking for the body he knew better than his own between all the other figures in the room.

"Elena Gilbert." He grabbed the arm of a random nurse, boring his eyes into hers. "Where is she?"

"They're performing CPR on her, they don't know if she's going to make it."

He shook his head at her nonsense and walked through the haystack made of people, looking for the needle in it. A lump formed in his throat as a nurse pulled one of the green curtains open and revealed the girl on the bed, her chest naked, her lips closing around the tube that filled her lungs with oxygen. His breathing got heavier as he noticed the bruises on every inch of her skin, blood dripping down her face, her chestnut hair tangled together with dirt.

Her back arched from the bed as the young doctor placed two paddles on her chest and sent an electronic shock through her body, desperately trying to get her heart to beat. Tears welled up in his eyes as he saw the lifeless body in front of him, remembering the times when that same body would be squirming underneath him, her smile brightening the dark room, her brown doe eyes shimmering with joy, her hands reaching for him to wrap him in her arms and hold him there until the sun peeked through the curtains to announce the beginning of a new day.

"Salvatore." One of the doctors pulled him out of his trance. "We don't need you. Internal bleeding, a failing heart, her breathing stopped. She's lost."

"What?" His blue eyes went wide, staring into the young doctor's eyes.

"I'm sorry you came down here for nothing. They made a mistake because we didn't ask for you." He looked back at the lifeless girl on the bed. "We knew we couldn't save her."

"Just like you couldn't save her mother?" He clenched his teeth together and stepped forward, grabbing the paddles in his hands. "Recharge."

"Dr. Salvatore." The nurse shook her head, looking at him with desperate eyes. "We did everything we could."

"Recharge." His blue eyes went wide, placing the paddles back down on Elena's chest as the nurse recharged the defibrillator. "Clear."

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he gave Elena's body another shock, his heart praying for her to open her brown doe eyes and tell him she would never leave him behind. His soul aching in his chest, begging her to start breathing so he could see her smile again, roll her eyes while he was teasing her. His body started hurting as the thought of never waking up again next to her ripped through his mind. The chest he had once showered with kisses and coated with his own body lay now broken under him, covered with bruises and burns from the car wreck.

"Recharge."

"Dr. Salvatore. It's too late."

"You don't get it." His teeth clenched together, his eyes boring into hers, his face stained with tears. "I love her."

A look filled with remorse came over the nurse's face as she pushed to button to recharge the machine again. He wiped some of his tears away with his black sleeve and put the paddles back on her chest, looking at the face of the woman that would forever hold his heart.

"Don't you dare die, Elena." He waited for the machine to recharge. "Don't you dare."

"_Don't you dare." Caroline's high pitched voice filled the quiet office. "I will kill you if you're not here in ten minutes."_

"_So I have another ten minutes?." Damon walked into the office, clapping his phone shut. "Because there was this blonde downstairs..."_

"_You're staying here." Caroline punched her fist on the desk. "We have to leave now."_

_She swallowed back the lump in her throat as she saw the two bicker in front of her. Her eyes scanned over the body from the man, his black shirt hugging his muscled arms, the black jeans draped on the black leather boots, his hair messy, the blue eyes looking everywhere but at her. Three months ago that body had held her under its spell, possessed her and owned her like no man had done before him. She had found a missing part of her inside of him, only to lose it again when he pulled away from her, completely, in body and mind. _

_She went back to Stefan that night with the words he had spoken still in her mind. He went back to the life he led before she interrupted it. Their souls had been separated and their hearts had been pulled away from each other. For the past three months they had never gotten the chance to collide again because he kept his distance from her. She tried to squirm her way back in and to pull him back in her life but every time she tried, he would turn around and walk away so she eventually lost the courage to even look at him. _

_Now the days were filled with silence, he didn't call anymore in the morning or brought her coffee and she didn't buy him lunch anymore or jumped on his back just because she felt like it. They were complete strangers now, only the distant memory of them still lingered in the back of her mind, in the core of her heart. _

"_That blonde is going to be upset if I don't go back." He shrugged indifferently. "I gave her the look."_

"_What look?"_

"_The I-will-fuck-your-brains-out-look."_

"_Come on, Casanova." Caroline rolled her eyes and started walking to the door. "We're going to be late."_

_Damon shook his head at her and walked after her, passing her desk like he did every morning, not even glancing at her. It was those mornings she realized how much it hurt to not have him in her life anymore, how much she missed the flirty little comments and the way he could make her roll her eyes. _

"_Damon." _

_His back stiffened in the doorway as her voice called out for him, something it hadn't done in the past three months. He turned around slowly, like it pained him to look at her. Her eyes were fixed on him as his ocean blue eyes focused on her. _

_She felt the ground sink from under her as she remembered those blue eyes staring at her, shimmering in joy while they were laughing at something that was said. She could remember those blue eyes hovering above her, holding her captive while he discovered her body. _

"_Happy Birthday."_

_His blue eyes softened as they stared right into hers, a small smile coming across his lips. He nodded slowly, the features of his face softer than a minute ago. Her heart drummed loud in her chest as for the first time in three months his eyes were back on her, looking into her core, reading every thought in her mind, memorizing every pore in her face._

"_Thank you." _

"_You're welcome." She turned her chair back to the desk. _

"_So what's on your schedule for today?" His voice made her head snap up, the unexpected gesture making her nervous. "More paperwork?"_

"_It's going to be the death of me." She smiled and looked up at him, locking their eyes. "I'm going to bury myself in it."_

"_You're a tough one, Gilbert." He chuckled and rolled his eyes when Caroline called his name. "Don't give up."_

"Don't give up." He pushed the paddles against her chest for another time, tears rolling over his cheeks. "Don't you dare leave me, Elena."

"Dr. Salvatore." The nurse placed her hand on his arm. "She's gone."

"Get me Mason Lockwood." He pressed the recharge button himself. "Someone will have to operate that internal bleeding once her heart beats again."

"We're going to declare her dead." The doctor placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry son."

"If there's anyone going to declare her dead, it will be me."

* * *

><p>"Where am I?"<p>

She looked around her, trying to see anything but the white fog that surrounded her. Her eyes adjusted to the bright light and noticed the white bench in front of her. With a sigh she got up from the floor, noticing that nothing hurt, that it felt like floating on air.

"Where do you think you are?"

She spun around with a gasp, her eyes looking for the man that had spoken to her. Her breathing got heavier once the man walked from between the fog, wearing a white cloak that covered the skin from his neck to his feet.

"Who are you?"

"Who do you think I am?"

There had been a time when she believed in going to heaven and meet God. But that had all changed when she met a heart surgeon that never believed in faith because he had seen too many things go wrong to believe there was someone out there who wanted the best for people and she had started believing with him. The world was too screwed up and she had seen too many things to believe that there was a God out there. But now she was here, and she saw the Morgan Freeman version that appeared in Bruce Almighty, she couldn't help but to wonder if they had been wrong.

"Are you God?" She looked up at the man in wonder. "Am I in heaven?"

"Heaven is much more colorful than this." He looked around him. "They don't call it heaven without a reason."

"So what is this?"

"This is the place where I have a talk with you."

"About what?"

She grabbed her chest as a shock went through her heart, leaving it behind with an unbearable ache. Her eyes teared up as the pain slowly faded away again, her breathing started again after shaking from the hurt.

"Someone's getting impatient, huh?"

"Who?" She sat down on the white bench, hugging her chest. "What are you talking about?"

She looked up as a screen appeared in front of her, colors between the white fog. Her eyebrows knitted together as she found her own face in the images in front of her, bruised, burned, scratched. A voice screamed her name, begging her, pleading with her, his face stained with tears, new tears welling up in his blue eyes with every word he spoke to her.

"Damon."

"_Damon."_

_His blue eyes snapped up as he turned around the corner, finding the key to his room in his pocket. He paused and let his eyes travel over her form on the ground, her legs stretched out in front of her, her arms hugging a carton box, her jacket discarded next to her on the carpet, her brown doe eyes filled with hope._

"_What are you doing here, Elena?" He swallowed back the lump in his throat and walked to the door of his room. "You shouldn't be here this late."_

"_It's your birthday." She shrugged, her voice trembling. "I want to give you something."_

"_My birthday ended three hours ago." He leaned against the wall opposite from her, his face hard. "So whatever it is, you can take it with you again."_

"_I was here three hours ago." Her brown eyes looked up at him, her face looking more innocent than ever. "But you weren't here so I waited."_

"_Why are you here, Elena?"_

"_I miss you."_

_Her voice broke the second the words escaped her. Her eyes traveling from his feet to his face, finding the eyes she had missed so much during the past three months. His hard face softened as he noticed the desperate look on her face, the naive twenty-year-old girl that was looking for guidance. _

"_What do you have there?" He pointed his chin to the box in her lap. "Anything for me?"_

"_I baked you a cake." She opened the box, a small smile on her face. "I know how much you like desserts."_

"_Will I die if I eat it?" He smirked and walked slowly to the other side of the hallway, sitting down next to her. "I know you're not much of a cook."_

"_I've baked this cake about ten times, it's perfection by now."_

"_I didn't know you baked."_

"_I didn't." She shrugged, retrieving two forks from her bag. "But three weeks ago I started practicing so I could bake one for your birthday."_

"_You sure gave it a lot of thought." He rolled his eyes, smirking at her. _

"_I didn't want to give you food poisoning." She bumped his shoulder with hers. "So I let Stefan try it first."_

_The smile that rested on his lips disappeared suddenly as she mentioned her husband's name. His head turned away, hiding the expression that crossed his face. She swallowed back the lump in her throat as she realized her mistake, the memories that rested behind that mistake._

"_Damon." She pulled his attention back to her, noticing the distant look in his eyes. "Are you mad at me?"_

"_Why would I be ma...?"_

"_You know why." She cut him off. "You act like nothing happened but you've been ignoring me for the past three months."_

"_I thought we could use some time apart." _

"_So you just pretended like you never knew me, like I never existed."_

"_Why don't we go inside and eat the cake?" He arched his eyebrow, ignoring her outburst. "They're broadcasting Grey's Anatomy reruns." _

_She nodded her head, knowing he didn't want to talk about the subject any further. And she would shut up about it if it meant she could stay with him for some time, that she could have her friend back, just for tonight. _

_He picked the box up from her lap and got up, retrieving the key from his pocket. She stood up and grabbed her jacket from the ground, her eyes studying everything he was doing. Her heart drummed in her chest as he unlocked the door and held it open for her, his blue eyes boring into hers._

"_I still don't get why you live in a hotel." She put her bag down on one of the chairs and turned to him. "You could just rent an apartment."_

"_I like it when I come home in the middle of the night and just pick up the phone for food." He shrugged indifferently. "And I don't have to clean up my own room."_

"_You're such a boy." She stuck her tongue out, letting herself fall down on the bed. "You're thirty now, maybe it's time to grow up."_

"_That ring on your finger doesn't say you're a grownup, you know?" _

_A few months ago she would have said that the ring on her finger was a proof of love, the proof that you had found the one that was made for you and bound yourself to him because you couldn't imagine anyone else beside you. But then he came into her life and he made her feel things she never thought possible, she craved him like her lungs craved air, she needed him like a turtle needed its shell to keep it safe, to keep it hidden from the world, to hide in when she didn't want to be found._

"_Then what does it say?"_

"_That you were too scared to find your own path in life." He shrugged out of his jacket and placed it on the chair. "So you let someone else choose it for you."_

"_Why don't you just say that you have a problem with Stefan?"_

"_I don't have a problem with him." He threw his arms in the air. "He's a nice guy and he takes care of you."_

"_Then what's the problem?"_

"_He's not the guy for you." His blue eyes bored into hers. "A husband is supposed to make his wife stronger but he didn't even have the balls to put his father in his place when he was talking shit about you."_

"_It's not Stefan's fault." She shook her head at him. "That's the way Giuseppe is."_

"_But he lets him treat you like that." His teeth clenched together. "He should defend you, you're his wife for Christ's sake."_

"_It's not that easy to stand up against your own father." _

"_You stand up for your girl, it's rule number one in loving someone. You've got their back." He shook his head. "Even if you have to put your own father in his place."_

"_How can you know?" She got up from the bed, her eyes wide open. "Your father didn't want you."_

_She clasped both of her hands over her mouth as the realization of her words hit her. His face went from hard to hurt, his eyes losing the shimmer that had been there just a few seconds ago. She shook her head slowly, stammering his name as he stared at her, his breathing heavy, his whole body defeated. He closed his eyes for a second, like he wanted to erase the words from his mind, his hands balled into fists next to him. Tears welled up in her eyes as his blue eyes opened again, the hard face back in place, the strong body stiffening. She tried to open her mouth, trying to voice how sorry she was but he shook his head, keeping her from talking. Her eyes followed him as he opened the door to the bathroom and walked through it, slamming it shut behind him. _

_Her breathing was shaky as she slowly walked around the bed and placed her forehead against the cold wood of the bathroom door. Her ears detected the sounds inside, the water running in the sink, the toilet flushing, clothes being thrown in the laundry basket. She placed her hand on the handle, slowly pushing it down. The door squeaked as she opened it gently, revealing more of the bathroom to her eyes. _

_Her brown eyes focused on his form as the door completely opened. His body was bent over the sink, his hands grabbing the counter on the sides, all the muscles in his arm stiff, his chest bare, breathing heavily in and out. She was an idiot, just like Giuseppe was an idiot. Anybody who didn't want him was an idiot. He was more than any man ever would be but he would never acknowledge it because he thought he was worthless. The father that left him behind had made him feel like he was worthless because he didn't want him, he didn't want to see him grow up and admire the man he had become, the person he became. _

"_I'm sorry." _

"_No. You're right." His grip on the counter increased. "I don't know anything about having a relationship with your father."_

"_I shouldn't have said that." She leaned against the door frame, keeping her eyes on him. "It's not your fault that he's an idiot."_

"_No. He's the smart one." He looked up in the mirror in front of him, seeing something he didn't like. "Who would want a son like me. I'm not the son a father dreams about, I'm the exact opposite."_

"_You're a surgeon, Damon." She shook her head at him, her eyes filling with remorse. "A father couldn't be more proud of you, I know my father would be if you were his son."_

"_I might have it all together professionally but personally I'm still the guy I was ten years ago." He pushed himself away from the counter like it had burned him. "Women like me for one night, but after that they just want my number for a booty call. They don't want to go on a date with me, I'm only good enough to be arm candy so they can brag to their family members that they brought a surgeon."_

"_No one has the chance to get to know you. You push them all away." She pushed herself from the door frame and approached him. "Maybe if you let someone in then she would get to know you and see what a wonderful person you are."_

"_I let you in, didn't I?" His face went hard, his blue eyes boring into hers. "You still married another guy."_

"_Damon..."_

"_Don't."_

_He walked past her, his bare skin touching her arm for a moment. Her heart drummed in her chest while his words danced in her mind, the same that were echoing through her heart. Need, need for him. Want, wanting him. Lust, to have her body against his again. Longing, to share every thought with him. Trust, because her every secret was his. Hurt, because she couldn't imagine a life without him anymore. Dreams, those she saw with the both of them. Future, the one where he was still beside her in twenty years. _

_She turned around, her eyes finding him in front of the closet. Her feet started moving, carrying her to where she wanted to be. Her eyes traveled over his back as she stood behind him, her hand moving over his skin, feeling his warmth underneath her palm. He shivered underneath her touch and extended his arm to grab a shirt. She reached for his hand and stopped him, their fingers intertwining as she let her palm rest on the back of his hand, placing a kiss on his bare shoulder. _

"_What are you doing?"_

"_I want you."_

_She whispered against his skin, her warm breath on his shoulder. And as he turned around she couldn't imagine that someone wouldn't want him. He had flaws, probably more than other people but he'd sell his soul to the devil for the ones he loved. Her eyes locked with his the same moment she realized that she wanted to be loved by him, that her heart was begging for it and her soul was praying for it. _

"_No." He whispered, his blue eyes pulling away from hers. "You're married."_

_She shook her head, smiling softly. She pulled her hand away from his back and held it in the air so he would see it, slowly she closed her fingers around the ring and pulled it off. Her eyes held his as she removed the thing that bound her to another man, the one she swore to love forever, to cherish and carry in her heart. But tonight she wouldn't be anyone else's, she wouldn't carry some other man's name or his ring. Her heart would be free and it would beat for the one it was meant to beat for. _

"_I'm not married tonight."_

"_Then what are you?"_

"_I'm the girl who wants to be with you."_

_Her brown eyes stayed locked with his blue ones as she closed the distance between them, pushing herself on tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck. He followed her lead and wrapped his own arms around her back, his mouth hungry moving with hers. Her hands traveled up his neck to his black raven hair, her fingers tangling in it, keeping his lips against hers. _

_She pushed her body against his, her feet and legs pushing against his to move him. He chuckled softly, not breaking their connection. She nibbled on his bottom lip as he let her push him to the bed, his body fell against the mattress, the sheets wrinkling underneath him. _

_His ocean blue eyes looked up at her as she stood in front of him between his legs. A soft smile came across her lips when she reached for the hem of her shirt and started pulling it over her head, letting it fall beside her on the ground. His eyes darkened as he noticed the black bra covered with lace and the flat stomach underneath it. He got up, sitting on the bed, his hands pulled her to him, his lips covered her stomach with kisses. The small gesture made her mind go blank, her need for him only increasing. _

_She had never known how it felt to really want someone and to explore their body with yours, to see their reaction to your touch. But now her body was on fire, reacting to his every touch, how small it may be. She placed a kiss on his black raven hair as he unclasped her bra and let the straps slide over her arms. Her hand found the way to his chest and pushed him back down against the covers. She crawled on top of him, straddling him, her body draped itself over his. _

_As soon as her lips found his again, he flipped them over, his hips grounded in hers as he hovered above her, his blue eyes remembering the moment three months ago when they had been like this. Hungry, desperately, needy for each other._

"_Condom." _

_He reached for the night table next to the bed, the bulge in his pants visible through the black jeans. She pulled him back to her, kissing his lips as he tried to squirm away to get to the night table. She cupped his face in her hands, their eyes locked._

"_If we're going to do this, nothing is going to be between us."_

"_You sure?"_

"_I want you."_

_Her lips found his again, more desperate with every movement. Their clothes were quickly off their bodies, revealing every pore of their body to the other one. Her hands wandered over his bottom as he kissed her neck, letting his lips travel over her shoulder and collarbone. She arched into his touch as one of his fingers plunged into her center, her damp walls closing around him as he started thrusting in and out, gently teasing her._

"_Damon."_

_He silenced her with his lips and positioned himself in front of her entrance, slowly slipping inside of her, welcoming the heat that closed around him. A moan escaped him once he was completely buried in her, her walls squeezing him gently like they hugged him after coming home._

_She locked her eyes with his as he started thrusting inside of her, keeping his eyes on her, his lips finding hers every few seconds. Her heart drowned in the ocean of blue, feeling things it had never felt before, giving him things she had never shared with anyone, her body reacting to his touch like it was used to it and knew the dance they were practicing. _

_She had never been owned by someone, her thoughts had never been aimed at pleasing someone else, not like this, not like his needs would come first and she would drive around the world to give him anything he wanted. She wanted to be possessed by him, feel the power he had over her and live in it. _

"_Elena."_

_He sighed her name like she was his last hope, his hands admiring her body like he was a newborn that for the first time touched his mother's skin, feeling how precious it was, how it had carried him all those months he had been lonely in her womb. _

_Tears welled up in her eyes as she felt the pool build in her stomach, tingling to find her release. She had never known that feeling in her stomach to want someone closer to you and to crave him even after you found that release but now she almost reached that point and could see that he was getting there too, she couldn't imagine that she would let him outside of her, that she would ever let him out of her arms again because he seemed to belong in them, like a prisoner belonged in a cage and found his home there._

_Her body shivered underneath his, her back arching as the waves of pleasure took over her. A growl left him as he felt her walls squeeze him tightly, pulling him with her to the edge. Sweat drops ran down their skins as their eyes locked while they both found the ultimate pleasure in each other. She had never thought that she would find art in sex but here she was, staring at the blue-eyed man's face, finding nothing more beautiful in the world than the expression on his face he carried when he found his release, pumping it inside of her and marking her with it, claiming her as his own. _

_He collapsed on top of her, his body draped over hers, his face resting next to hers, his legs entangled with hers. She cocked her head to the side so she could look at him, his blue eyes wide open, staring at her, his lips pulled up into a smile, the hard face from half an hour ago gone. She tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer to her, claiming his lips as her own again. _

"_Can I say something cheesy?" She caressed his cheek with her fingers, seeing him smile. "You're the most beautiful man I've ever seen."_

"_You're still young." He kissed her lips gently. "You haven't seen beautiful yet."_

"_You could have just accepted my compliment, old guy."_

"_The night isn't over yet." He kissed her cheek, chuckling. "We'll see if you can keep up with this old guy."_

"_I have youth on my side, Salvatore." She squeezed him with her lower muscles, making him growl. "Let's see how many rounds you're good for."_

"_Elena." His blue eyes bored into hers, his expression serious. "Are you on the pill?"_

"_That's a smart question to ask after you came inside of me." She rolled her eyes at him. "But yes, I'm on the pill."_

"_Good." He snuggled his nose into the crook of her neck. "Because I think I'm out of condoms."_

"_But you..."_

"_Yeah I was." He shrugged, rolling his eyes. "But then I realized I might be out of them."_

"_Shouldn't you check for the next girl that comes along?" She patted his bare buttock. "You're thirty, you should be the responsible one."_

_He sighed and reached for the drawer, feeling in it as soon as it opened. A smirk came across his face as he retrieved a condom, holding it in front of her face. _

"_Hey, this is a flavored one." She took it from him, admiring it. "I never had one like that."_

"_You're such a snob." He grabbed it and opened the package. "Here."_

"_Oh my god." Her eyes went wide. "It's orange."_

"_Which planet are you from?" His eyebrow arched. "You're like a kid on Christmas morning."_

"_What size are you?" She turned the package around, reading the small letters. "It's not on here, where's the box?"_

"_I threw it away." His eyes went wide. "Why would you want to know my size?"_

"_Just curious." She shrugged indifferently. "I can just look at the real thing and guess."_

"_The real thing is still hidden." He smirked as he looked between their bodies, still buried inside of her. "And he's not coming out."_

"_Why is he still in there?"_

"_So you can't see him." _

"_But I need him to taste the condom." She pouted. "Can't he come out?"_

"_I think he's going to be out of service for another thirty minutes." He stroked her hair back, an amused expression on his face. "But I'll take you up on that offer for a blow job."_

"_I never gave one before." She cocked her head to the side, biting on her bottom-lip. "I probably suck at it."_

"_You never..?"_

"_Nope."_

"_And did anyone ever...with you?"_

"_Nope."_

"_You're an oral virgin." A dangerous shimmer crossed his eyes. "Don't worry, we'll change that."_

"_Will we?" She smirked, her eyes reflecting that same shimmer. "So you think we're going to have more nights like this?"_

"_I guess that depends on you." His face hardened, the shimmer leaving his eyes. "You're the one that's married."_

"_Shh." She caressed his cheek, smoothing the worried wrinkles away. "We'll think about that in the morning."_

"_You're going to feel guilty." He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "And you're going to hate me."_

"_No." She shook her head, holding his face in her hands. "I want you and you have to remember that, even if I'm a bitch in the morning."_

"_How about we save round two for when you've figured this all out." _

_He slipped out of her, leaving the warmth of her walls. She couldn't help but to notice how empty she felt, not just physically but emotionally it seemed like there was some part missing, the part that had been there when he had connected their bodies and made them one._

"_Damon?" She snuggled closer to his body, draping her arm around his waist. "I'm sorry.."_

"_Shh." He placed a kiss on her forehead, pulling her closer against him. "We'll deal with it in the morning."_

"_We'll figure it out." She pushed her lips against his. "Everything's going to be okay."_

"Everything's going to be okay."

She whispered the words more to herself than to the man next to her. She whispered them as a comfort for the man she could see in front of her on the screen, tears rolling down his cheeks as he begged her to wake up, the desperation that came through his voice ripped her heart apart because he wasn't supposed to suffer, he wasn't supposed to be hurt, she would never let anyone hurt him.

"He was the one thing that kept you going, wasn't he?" The man in the white cloak turned his head to the side, boring his eyes right into hers. "When everything fell down on you, he was the one that kept you up."

"Why are you doing this to him?" She got up, staring at the man on the screen. "Just let me die so he can mourn me and move on."

"The second he gives up, you are dead." The man she called God got up, standing next to her in front of the screen. "But he won't give up and you know it."

"But what if he does?" Her eyes welled up with tears while she slammed her fists against the screen. "If I die I can't tell him about Liam. I can't tell him that he has a son. He needs to take care of Liam when I die."

"You walked out on him but yet it seems like he never really went away."

"I left him and it was the most painful and horrible day of my life." She shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks as the screams of the blue-eyed man became louder. "I should have never left him."

"Then why did you?"

"Because I was young and naive, I didn't know what was good for me." She rested her forehead against the screen, curling up in front of it. "I was too stubborn to realize how lucky I was to have him. I was too stubborn to forgive him."

"And what would you tell him now?"

"I'd tell him that we have a son." She cringed as she felt another shock in her chest, letting her heart squeeze together. "I would beg him to take me back and marry me so I can have his children."

"And do you think he would do it?"

"He would." She let her fingers travel over the screen, stroking the black raven hair. "I never believed in the one until he came along. And he knows it too, he knows we're meant to be."

"Would you die for him, Elena?"

"If I knew it would save him? Yes." She turned her head over her shoulder, locking her eyes with his. "But you have to sent me back first. I need to tell him about Liam and I need to tell him that I love him and that I was an idiot for walking away from him five years ago."

She hugged her chest as another shock went through her heart, leaving it behind aching and teared apart. Her eyes looked up to the screen, locking with the blue eyes that held her world, his face stained with tears, sobs leaving his throat, his eyes looking down at her body, his voice begging her to wake up.

"I can't die." She shook her head. "I can't leave him behind. Or Liam." She gasped, her eyes locking with the man behind her. "Liam. He was in the car with me."

"I wouldn't worry too much about Liam." The Morgan Freeman version of God held his hand out to her. "He's strong. Just like his parents."

"So he'll be fine?" She grabbed his hand and pulled herself up. "He isn't in a place like this?"

"Even if he was, I'm sure he would talk himself out of it."

"He got that from his father." She rolled her eyes. "Smooth talkers."

"He sure is something." The man chuckled softly. "Just like his father."

"Can I go back to them?" She whispered, her eyes filling up with new tears. "I just want to tell them how much I love them."

"You won't remember this conversation, Elena." Morgan Freeman shook his head. "Your subconscious will know but you won't actually remember this."

"So I'll go back to ignoring Damon?" She looked up at him. "I'll be too stubborn to admit I love him."

"There is one thing you should know, Elena." He locked his eyes with hers. "There is no path planned out for you, everything you do in your life is your choice."

"Thank you."

Before she could speak another word he disappeared in front of her between the white fog. Another shock went through her chest, the man on the screen calling her name, his voice coming closer as her mind went blank.

Xxx

"She's back."

His voice broke as the tears continued to stream down his cheeks, happiness feeding them. A sigh of relieve escaped him as he saw her heart beat appear on the monitor. His own heart drummed in joy as the heart that fed his finally lived again, the soul that held his finally in his reach.

"I'll call Dr. Lockwood." The nurse sped to the phone.

"Good girl." He stroked her hair back, whispering soothing words in her ear. "Just keep your heart beating and we'll get you through this."

"Damon." Mason Lockwood pulled the green curtain open. "We're ready to operate."

"I'm coming with you." He grabbed Elena's hand as the nurses started moving her.

"Damon." Mason grabbed his arm. "I know what she means to you but you can't be in the theater."

"Mason." He grabbed his friend's shoulder. "You have to let me in."

"Do you remember what you said when my mother had that heart attack and I wanted to come with you?"

"When it comes to your loved ones you're not the surgeon but the one that sits in the waiting room."

"And I sat in the waiting room and you saved my mother." He squeezed his shoulder. "You belong in the waiting room this time."

"But what if her heart fails?" His blue eyes went wide. "You can't let Miller operate on her."

"Then I'll call you." He started walking away. "But we don't need a heart surgeon now so you're going to grab a coffee and sit in the waiting room."

"I know how to kill without leaving a trace, Mason."

His hands balled into fists on his sides, the anger left his body and was replaced by despair, helplessness. Because he couldn't be the one to save her right now, he was the one that would have to stand on the side line and feel what every family member in that waiting room felt.

"Damon." Grayson stood up as soon as he entered the waiting room. "How is she?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Her heart was failing and now they're going to operate on her."

"She'll get through this." Grayson grabbed his shoulder and wrapped him in an embrace. "She has to."

"What's he doing here?"

His head snapped up as he heard the harsh voice behind him, he unwrapped himself from Grayson's embrace and turned around, facing the green-eyed man. His green eyes were boring right into his, his whole body stiff, filled with anger.

"Hello brother."

"Why are you here?" His teeth clenched together. "She never wanted to see you again."

"I got that five years ago." He smirked, rolling his eyes. "But hey, the months she lived with me she said the same about you and she came back, didn't she?"

"Asshole." The green eyes bored into his. "Get out of here."

"I can't." He shrugged. "I'm still on call."

"This day is already bad enough without you being here." Stefan shook his head. "So just go, please. We don't want you in our lives anymore."

"Your son seemed to like me." He clacked his tongue, looking around in the waiting room. "How is he? Was he okay?"

"He's staying over at Bonnie's." Stefan crossed his arms over his chest. "And what do you know about my son?"

"Stefan." Damon shook his head, his blue eyes darkening. "Liam was in the car with her, she picked him up at Bonnie's."

"What?"

"They found her in town, right?" He searched for Grayson's confirmation. "That means they were on their way home from Bonnie's. He was in the car with her."

"Then where is he now?" Stefan started running to the bar. "Did they treat him?"

Damon ran after him, searching the papers behind the bar.

"Can I help you?" The nurse came walking down the hall, sipping her coffee. "Why are you behind my desk, Dr. Salvatore?"

"The Gilbert accident, was there a little boy brought in?"

"No, sir." She shook her head in confusion. "Only the young woman and she's now in theater."

His eyes looked for Stefan's, seeing the shock in them. Grayson came running down the hallway, finding the shock on both their faces. They all stared at each other as the truth slipped in their minds. All their breaths were shaky, one question torturing their mind.

"Where is Liam?"

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><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	10. I'm gonna give all my secrets away

Thank you Sandra for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 10

_'__I'm gonna give all my secrets away__'_

"We found him."

Damon's head turned around as the two men ran through the door, both panting. Stefan clutched the little boy tighter to his chest, rubbing circles on his back as he stayed unresponsive in his arms. Grayson ran next to them, making sure that the blanket didn't fell off his grandson's small body.

For some reason he felt the tension leave his body knowing Elena's son was safe. He didn't know what being a father was like, didn't know how it was like to have a part of you to love, but in the past few hours he had lived through the pain that came with having to miss that part of you. Now that the biggest part of the woman he loved was safe and unharmed, he couldn't help but to wonder what he'd go through if he ever had to experience that kind of loss.

"Is he okay?"

"He isn't responding." Grayson's eyes went wide, squeezing Liam's arms. "We found him like this."

The relief that had been there washed away again as he approached Stefan and the boy, his eyes roaming over the small body, noticing the blue lips, the pale skin, the closed eyes. His fingers rapidly searched for a pulse in his neck, touching the soft skin.

"He's hypothermic." He pulled Liam from Stefan's arms and held him against his own chest. "We need to warm him up."

Stefan and Grayson came after him as he started walking through the long white halls. He had never wanted to be a father, he wasn't cut out to be one. The experience with his own father had made him realize that the gene of being the most arrogant bastard in the world ran in the family, in his own blood. He didn't want any child to experience that, certainly not his own child. But now he held Elena's son in his arms, he couldn't help but to feel that need to protect and treasure him because his own world would crash down if anything happened to the young life he now carried.

"Pull off his clothes." He placed Liam down on the bed while he started unbuttoning his own shirt. "Body heat is the fastest way to warm him up."

"I'll do it." Stefan grabbed his arm, already going for the hem of his sweater. "He's my son."

"You've been out looking for him for hours. You're cold."

Stefan's eyes softened as the realization dawned on him, his features became more innocent when he looked at the boy on the bed that was now stripped down to his underwear, his lips blue, not the usual pink color, his face pale, not the blush that usually covered it. He nodded slowly at the brother he had been unaware of for twenty-two blissful years.

"I fucked your wife, Stefan." Damon pulled his arm out of his grasp. "But I'm not a pedophile."

He saw Stefan's eyes darken as he walked to the bed and picked the boy up, feeling the cold skin against his own. He lay down and placed Liam on his chest, wrapping his arms around his small back. He shivered as Liam's skin was ice-cold against his own, the breathing of the boy shaky.

He placed his cheek against Liam's forehead, wrapping the sheets tighter around them, flinching as the boy's arms came into contact with his sides. "You're cold."

"_You're cold."_

_He snuggled his nose deeper into the crook of her neck, his body shielding her from the cold air. A sigh of contentment left her as she squirmed underneath him, using his body as a blanket that warmed her chilly skin. _

"_You should have closed the window last night." _

"_I was busy last night."_

_She chuckled softly and turned her head to the side, letting her cheek rest against his forehead. Her fingers absently ran patterns on his arm, revelling in the tingles that his skin spread across hers. She had never been so at ease, never so at peace with herself. The arm he had draped around her chest made her feel safe, shielded from the bad world. The way his grip tightened on her every few minutes made her feel wanted, so wanted that she doubted anyone had ever wanted her more._

"_We never ate the cake." She stopped stroking his arm and placed hers above his. "It's probably ice cake by now."_

"_I would have gotten food poisoning anyway." He looked up from his place on her chest, his blue eyes shimmering. "I don't trust your cooking."_

"_I already told you I've been baking it for weeks." She rolled her eyes, slapping his arm. "It's perfection by now."_

"_The only thing you can make is descent coffee."_

_She shook her head at him, too happy to get irritated. Her heart skipped a beat as he smirked and placed a kiss on the corner of her mouth, letting his lips linger there. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and smiled as she noticed the mischief in his eyes, the way that devilish grin played on his lips. _

_He pushed his nose against hers, brushing his lips over hers. "How are you feeling?" _

"_I'm happy." She pushed herself up and captured his lips, kissing him softly. "Just right here with you. I'm happy."_

"_I'm happy, too." He ran his fingers through her long chestnut hair, untangling the knots. "And I wouldn't mind it if we spend more time like this."_

_She turned her head away from him, looking at the creme wall, guilt taking her over. She felt his eyes on her while the images of last night rushed back through her mind, the emotions lingering in her heart. She knew what she did and she wasn't going to deny or try to forget about it. She would carry the guilt with her and accept the consequences of her actions, whatever they may be._

"_Can I take a shower?" Her voice was hoarse, the sadness tearing through it. _

"_Of course." He rolled off of her, following her with his eyes. "The towels are under the sink."_

_She nodded and threw the covers off her, feeling the cold air against her naked body. She threw her legs over the edge and got up, not bothering to cover herself up. With her arms crossed over her chest she walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She placed her hands on the counter, taking heavy breaths before she looked up in the mirror. Damon had been like this when she found him last night in the same position, seeing something he didn't like in front of him. The same feeling rushed through her mind. The girl she saw now was not the one she had been raised to be, this wasn't the girl her parents taught her to be. _

_The girl she saw now betrayed her husband, the one she swore to love forever in front of God. She had promised to be forever loyal to him, to only carry him in her heart as a lover. But now, when her body had been given to someone else and her heart didn't know what it wanted, was there something like knowing yourself and knowing what you truly wanted. If your mind told you one person but your body seemed to long for the other, was there anyway to decide which part of you was right?_

_Too disgusted with herself to see the image in the mirror any longer, she grabbed a towel from underneath the sink and placed it on the bench next to the spacious walk-in-shower. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she tied her hair in a bun and smelled Damon's scent on her own skin, his sweat had left his mark on her body. _

_She let her back slide down the cold wall while the warm water ran down her body, washing away the crimes of a sinner. Sobs left her throat as she buried her head in her hands, her knees pulled up against her chest as the guilt of her dirty pleasure was carried away with the soft strays on her skin._

_The door squeaked as it was pushed open gently, footsteps approaching the glass that separated the shower from the rest of the bathroom. She lifted her head up slowly, letting her brown teary eyes travel over his legs, waist, hard stomach and eventually meeting his ocean blue eyes. _

_She smiled softly when he pressed his lips together, exactly knowing what was going on in her mind. He walked into the shower, letting the strays warm his own naked body. With a sigh he sat down next to her and turned his head towards her, his blue eyes scanning over her curled up body. _

"_Don't say I told you so." She buried her head back in her hands. "You told me I would feel guilty, but please don't say it."_

"_I wasn't going to say that."_

"_Then what were you going to say?"_

"_Nothing." He shrugged indifferently. "I was going to sit here and let you talk."_

"_I'm not this girl." She shook her head, looking up at him. "I don't cheat on my husband."_

"_I don't think you know who you are." He whispered softly, his eyebrows knitting together. "I'm thirty and I don't even know who I am."_

"_You think you'll ever figure it out?" _

"_I'm starting to figure it out." His blue eyes bored into hers, looking into her core. "My life finally got a purpose." _

_And as his eyes bored into hers she couldn't help but think she was that purpose, that she was the reason he was finding himself. Because when he came into her life she had started discovering sides of herself she never knew existed. He made her feel, made her live through everything, and she learned more about herself in the past months than she learned in the twenty years before him. _

"_Damon." His name rolled off her tongue like he was her last hope. "What are we doing?"_

"_I don't know." He let out a hard laugh, shrugging. "But I know you have two options. We only had sex once, so you can pretend like it was a mistake and go back to your life from a few hours ago. _

"_Or?" _

"_This could be the beginning of something." He tucked a piece of hair back behind her ear. "We can have more moments like this and we'll figure everything out along the way."_

"_I'm married." She turned her eyes away from him, ashamed of herself. "I love my husband."_

"_I know you don't want to hear this." He touched her cheek, letting his finger linger there. "But which girl that's head over heels with her husband is dancing with her friend at six in the morning on her wedding night."_

"_You texted me and said you would come back." Her teeth clenched together. "I didn't want you to stand in front of a locked door."_

"_Okay, let's assume that that was the reason." He grabbed her chin and locked their eyes. "Why did you kiss me?"_

"_Because I was an emotional mess." _

"_I've ignored you for three months." He held her chin firmer as she tried to pull away. "Why was it so important to you to be here on my birthday?"_

"_Because I'm not happy without you." Her fists collided with the floor beneath them. "I don't want to miss you, but I do. I miss you so much."_

_He let go of her chin, his arms falling limp beside him, his eyes looking at her in disbelief as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. His breathing shaky as he looked away from her, his lips pressing into a hard line. The thoughts in his mind a whirlwind filled with emotions he didn't want to feel. _

"_We're both scared, Damon." She placed her hand on his shoulder, sitting on her knees next to him. "I know you don't want anyone to need you, it scares you."_

"_You don't need me." His eyes looked up with so much pain that it made her heart squeeze together. "You're better off without me."_

"_You're wrong." She pushed her face against the side of his, kissing his jaw. "I didn't like myself before you came along. I didn't like my life, but I settled for it."_

"_But you still married him."_

"_What did you want me to do?" She clenched her teeth together, squeezing his arm. "You use women. I couldn't make myself one of them."_

"_You're not one of them, Elena." His eyes shot blue fire. "That's exactly why I stayed away from you, because I couldn't make you one of them."_

"_Don't stay away from me anymore." She showered the side of his face with kisses, pressing herself against him. "I need you." _

"_What about your husband?" _

"_We'll figure it out along the way."_

"We found him two blocks away from the accident." Grayson sat down on the chair next to the bed. "God knows how he got there."

"He'll be fine." He wrapped his arms tighter around the body, sharing his body heat with him. "He's going to wake up any second."

"I'm going to ask the nurse for more blankets." Stefan looked away from his son and brother on the bed. "It will speed up the process."

Damon rolled his eyes as Stefan disappeared out of the room. "He really doesn't want me anywhere near his kid."

"You both hurt him five years ago, he's only being careful." Grayson looked up at him. "He doesn't want to lose her again."

"She went back to him." His mouth pressed into a hard line. "She chose him, he has nothing to fear."

"She came back." Grayson nodded, looking at his grandson. "But I always had the feeling it was only temporarily. She never intended on staying."

"What happened?"

"Liam happened." He smiled at the boy that lay on Damon's chest. "And when she found out, she hated it because she knew she couldn't go back to you."

"Why not?" He shook his head at him, stroking Liam's chestnut hair. "She could have come back any second."

"She knew you didn't want to be a father." Grayson swallowed back the lump in his throat. "Let's be honest, you made it pretty clear you never wanted to be one."

"I don't want to turn out like mine. I don't want to hate my kid."

"I know you see him in you, but if you ask me, you're nothing like him." The older man looked down at the hands in his lap. "You did everything you could to make my daughter happy, and Giuseppe would have done everything he could to make her miserable."

"But I hurt her." He looked down at Liam's sleeping face. "I broke her heart and turned my back on her."

"When you took her to Chicago with you ..." Grayson searched for words. "I almost hated you because you were taking my little girl away from me, but then I visited the two of you and I saw how happy she was and how free she seemed. You were the best, and the worst thing that ever happened to her."

"I lost her." His voice broke, his breathing shaky. "And If Mason screws it up, I'll never get the chance to set that right."

"She's going to make it." Grayson clenched his teeth together. "She has to, I can't lose her, and her mother."

"How can you be so calm about it?" He looked at him with frantic eyes. "They're both fighting for their lives."

"There's nothing I can do about it but wait here and hope they're okay." He shrugged and looked at Liam. "Right now the only one I can take care of is my grandson."

"What if we lose her, Grayson?"

"We won't."

"But what if we do?"

"Then you have to take care of Liam." Grayson got up, stroking his grandson's hair. "It's in her will, if something happens to her, you get him."

"What?" His blue eyes shot fire. "But that's impossible."

"She set that will up the second he was born." Grayson smiled softly. "Even if you hurt her and broke her heart, she wanted him to meet you someday."

"Why?"

"She told me he should know the person that changed her life." Grayson placed his hand against Liam's cold cheek. "The two people she loved the most should meet each other."

"She doesn't have to die for me to meet him." His blue eyes went wide. "He's Stefan's son for Christ's sake, she can't take him away from him."

"You know there's a reason why she called him Liam." Grayson shook his head at him, grabbing his jacket from the chair. "Damon Liam Salvatore."

* * *

><p>"She's going to be fine."<p>

He scanned over the girl in the bed, her chestnut brown hair spread across the pillow, her lips closed around the tube that filled her lungs with oxygen, her skin pale and her brown doe eyes firmly closed. His eyes snapped to the monitor that showed her heartbeat, the line going up and down. The man that held her hand and sat beside her on the bed looked up as soon as he entered, the green eyes glaring at him.

"How's Liam?"

"He's asleep." He crossed his arms over his chest, approaching the bed. "He'll be fine in a few hours."

"How did you know she picked him up?" His green eyes locked with his, his hand squeezing Elena's tighter. "Why did you know and I didn't?"

"I was with her when Liam called." He rolled his eyes as Stefan's face went hard. "We both had our clothes on, even if I suggested to take them off."

"Why was she with you?" His teeth clenched together. "Can't you keep your hands off of her for two minutes?"

"She was the one that came to me." His blue eyes went wide. "Get your facts straight before you start accusing someone. She came to me like she always came to me."

"Why did she?"

"Because I was the one that saved her mother." He grabbed the bars of the bed in his fists. "She came to thank me."

"Why did you save her mother?" He stood up, placing Elena's hand on her stomach. "You don't care about anyone but yourself."

"I know, Stefan." He rolled his eyes exaggerated. "I only care about myself and hurt other people, I must have gotten that from our father."

"He's not your father." His green eyes went wide. "He didn't want you."

"But he sure as hell got me." He shook his head with a hard laugh. "I'm way past caring about you and your father."

"You should have stayed out of our lives. You ruined us."

"I ruined you?" He arched his eyebrow. "Your marriage was already ruined before it started."

"Because you came in it."

"No. Because you wanted her to be someone she was not." He spat in his face. "You may have been in a relationship with her for four years, but after two months I knew her better than you did."

"But still she came back to me and left you." Stefan's green eyes shimmered as he saw the hurt cross Damon's face. "She didn't want you anymore."

'If I hadn't hurt her, she would still be with me." He looked up at Stefan, his blue eyes soft. "And you know it."

"But you did hurt her, and I had to pick up the pieces." Stefan looked back at Elena. "I'm not going to let you take her away again."

"I never took her from you." His blue eyes focused on Elena's motionless body. "She followed me."

"And it burned her." Stefan crossed his arms over his chest. "She knows now how stupid it was."

"Did you ever think about why it hurt so much?" The blue eyes focused on the green ones. "Love hurts, Stefan."

He saw the pain that crossed Stefan's eyes because he knew, he knew he would have lost his wife five years ago if she hadn't been sent back to him. He knew she had someone that meant more than him, that that love still lingered beneath the surface, and was waiting to rise again. His wife had found comfort in a man he never thought worthy of her, but at the end of the day she had chosen to leave the state with that man, and leave everything and everyone she know behind to start a new life with him in a new city.

"M. Salvatore." The nurse interrupted their stare. "I need you to fill in some forms for your son."

"Of course." Stefan nodded firmly and gave him one last look before he stepped through the door.

His eyes moved back to the girl on the bed, her chest going up and down as the tube filled her lungs with oxygen. He moved to the side of the bed, taking her hand in his, feeling her cold skin that used to be so warm against his.

"Don't die, okay?" He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. "I can live away from you, but I can't live without you."

"I thought I might find you here." Mason leaned against the door frame.

"Where else would I be?" He placed Elena's hand back down on the mattress, holding it with both hands. "I can't lose her."

"You know the first twenty-four hours are crucial." He stepped into the room, standing on the other side of the bed. "If she makes it through them, she should be fine."

"She'll make it through them." He looked up to her peaceful face, feeling his heart squeeze in his chest. "She made it this far, she'll get through the next day."

"I saw the burns from the defibrillator on her chest. They can sue you if they want, you went against hospital policy."

"If I would have followed those rules she would have been dead." His eyes snapped up to Mason's. "So if she lives and they sue me, I'll be the happiest man in the world."

"It can cost you your job." Mason shook his head. "And I heard about the miracle you made happen, but when I looked deeper into the case I noticed it was her mom. What are you doing, Damon?"

"Love makes you blind, right?" He looked back to Elena, squeezing her hand. "I'm flying blind here."

"You're going to hit a wall sometime." He whispered, taking the chart from the end of the bed. "We both know her mother is a lost cause."

"She's only lost when I say she is." He shook his head, pressing his lips together. "But to be honest, what I did in that theater, it scared the hell out of me. It will go into the history books and they'll call it a miracle, but when I came out of that operation, I was scared of what I had done."

"You took a risk and you pushed the limit because you knew it was worth it." He smiled politely. "And she would have killed you if you had let her mom die."

"And that's the thing. When her mom dies, it will probably be on my table." He shook his head, stroking Elena's hand. "She'll hate me for it."

"We can't save them all." Mason sighed. "Even if we want to, sometimes they just don't let us."

"I've never been so scared as today." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "I don't know how Grayson can do this. First his wife, then his daughter and on top of that his grandson."

"He still has his faith." Mason put the chart back on the bed. "A GP doesn't lose that many patients as a surgeon, they can still believe there's someone watching over them."

"For once I want to believe there's someone watching over us."

"I've never seen you like this." Mason started walking to the door. "And I shouldn't, but I like it."

"Like what?"

"Vulnerable."

He turned his head away from Mason, moving his eyes back to the broken girl on the bed. He sighed as he saw the monitor next to her go up and down, her strong heart beating in the room. The same heart that used to love his, use to carry him and cherish him with no boundaries.

"I can't take care of a child, Elena." He sat down on the bed next to her body. "You know I can't, so don't you dare leave us behind."

He lay down next to her, carefully avoiding the IV. A sigh escaped him as he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling himself closer against her. He placed a kiss on top of her head, feeling the tears that wanted to escape his eyes, the way his heart wanted to rip out of his chest and beat for her.

"You can't do this to me. I'm scared, Lena." He whispered in her hair, letting his forehead rest against her temple. "I've never been so scared in my whole life."

He let the tears roll over his cheek as he tried to remember the last time he had cried. Until a few hours ago he had thought that the day she left him five years ago was the worst of his life. But now he could really lose her forever, he felt more desperate than any man should ever have to feel. His eyes kept producing tears he hadn't shed in thirty years, while the woman he loved was fighting for her life in his arms.

"I love you." He kissed her cheek, letting his lips linger there. "I always will, but you're making me an emotional mess and I have a reputation to uphold so right now I kinda hate you."

"You can't give me Liam." He sobbed against the side of her face, shaking his head. "He'll turn out like me and you don't want a screwed up kid like me."

"I'll raise Liam if you want me to and I'll love him but you know my father, I'll turn out like him and I'll hurt Liam." He squeezed her tighter against him. "You don't want me as a father, I don't know how to be one."

"What are you doing with my mommy?"

His head snapped around as he heard the high pitched young voice. His blue eyes focused on the boy standing in the hospital gown in the doorway, clutching his teddy bear to his chest. He got up from the bed and sat down on the edge, wiping the tears out of his eyes.

"I was checking up on her." Damon got up and looked between Elena and the boy. "You shouldn't be up this late."

"Strangers shouldn't sneak into mommy's bed." He glared at him. "But you did."

"I'm Damon." He smirked at the boy in front of him. "We talked on the phone, remember?"

"You're the smart doctor?" His eyes went wide, his tone admiring. "I'm Liam."

He chuckled softly as he scanned the little body. The chestnut hair was ruffled and his skin still paler than healthy. He was walking on barefoot and the hospital gown only covered his bare skin down to his knees. His arms were covered with goosebumps but his pouted lips were pink, and his little body was standing straight in the doorway. He pointed to his small arm as blood was running over it.

"You pulled your IV out." He moved to the first-aid-kit next to Elena's bed. "Come here so I can take care of that."

Liam sauntered to the bed, keeping his eyes on his mommy that lay in it. A small gasp left his throat as he saw the tube in her mouth. His small hand reached for hers, his eyes welling up with tears as he placed a kiss on it like Damon had done before him.

"Come here." He picked the boy up and placed him on the bed. "Let me see that."

"Is mommy going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine." He wiped the blood from his hand and arm. "She has to be."

"Why were you crying?"

"I wasn't crying." He arched his eyebrow at the boy, smirking. "I just came out of the shower."

"But your hair is dry."

"I used a plastic thingy that kept my hair dry."

"But only old ladies use those."

"How did you turn out so smart?"

He moved his eyes to the boy's small face, noticing the ocean blue eyes piercing into his own. The emotions went through his body, his hand gripping the boy's arm for support. His own ocean blue eyes kept locked on Liam's as they continued to stare at each other, noticing the same features in each other's faces, the ocean blue eyes they were sharing.

"Mommy says I got that from my daddy."

"I think your daddy is a pretty smart guy." He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "But maybe not always as smart as he thinks he is."

"You look sad." His pink lips formed a pout. "Do you need a hug?"

"You got that from your mommy." He pushed his finger in Liam's chest. "She thinks every excuse is good enough to hug someone."

"Mommy says a hug can make all the pain in the world go away."

"Thank you for the offer." He ruffled the boy's hair. "But I'll be fine without the whole touchy-feeling thing."

"Damon?" Liam's big blue eyes looked up at him. "I'm scared mommy will die."

"She loves you too much to die." He stroked the chestnut hair back and held back his own tears "Let's get you back to your room, you shouldn't be up this late."

He nodded quietly and moved to the front of the bed, placing a kiss on his mother's cheek. With tears in his eyes he looked back up at Damon and held his arms out, ready to be picked up. Damon picked him up, feeling the boy's breathing against his neck as he snuggled his face in it. With soft circles he tried to soothe him as the tears kept running down his face.

"You got a whole room for yourself." He turned the light on and looked around the empty room. "You must be really special."

"No." Liam sniffed against his neck. "My daddy has a lot of money."

"I guess that makes you special to the hospital." He pulled the covers back and put him down on the bed. "They know they won't get that money if they don't take really good care of you."

Liam chuckled softly, his blue eyes lighting up. "Can I watch TV?"

"You shouldn't even be up." He pulled the covers over him as he lay down. "I don't think watching television is a good way to get you to sleep."

"But I can't sleep without mommy." His eyes welled up with new tears. "It's Thursday and she always sleeps with me on Thursday."

"Why don't I stay with you for a while?" He sat down next to him on the bed and turned the television on. "Just don't tell anyone I let you watch television at two in the morning."

"Pinky promise."

Damon wrapped his own pink around his small one and shook it, chuckling as he did so. "It's been years since I made a pinky promise."

"You can't break a pinky promise." Liam's eyes went wide as he started surfing through the channels. "They're really special."

"I bet they are." He rolled his eyes and frowned when Liam told him to stop on Grey's Anatomy reruns. "You watch Grey's Anatomy?"

"Mommy made me watch with her." He turned on his side and made room for him. "She doesn't like watching alone."

"I know." He rolled his eyes and lay down beside him, fluffing the pillow behind his back. "Is she still rooting for Meredith and Derek?"

"Yes." Liam nodded, keeping his eyes glued to the screen. "But I like George better."

"Didn't George d-?"

"I'll stop watching if anything ever happens to George." His eyebrows knitted together. "But I don't know what happens after season five because mommy never let's me watch. She says bad things happen."

"I can imagine why she says that." He shook his head in amusement as he noticed Liam's serious face. "I like Izzy and Alex better."

"I like Izzy too." He chuckled softly at something on the screen. "She looks like auntie Care."

"And Bonnie like Cristina?" Damon arched his eyebrow at him, snorting.

"Yeah ..." Liam shook his head doubtfully. "With bigger boobs."

"Does a five-year-old think about boobs?" He locked his eyes with the other blue ones. "I thought that started in puberty."

"Mommy says I'm an exception."

"I bet you are."

"Uncle Ty says my smile makes panties drop." Liam shrugged indifferently. "So I can have any girl I want."

"Just don't smile at old ladies, okay?" His eyebrow knitted together in disgust. "They're always horny and it's just creepy for a boy your age."

"I smiled at a big teenage girl in the store and she asked mommy if she could babysit me." His lips curled into a devilish grin, waggling his eyebrows. "I think she had other plans with me."

"And did she babysit you?"

"No." The grin disappeared from his lips. "I think mommy was onto her."

"Just so you know.." He rolled his eyes at the boy. "Your mom won't allow you to have sex before you turn thirty."

"No?"

"No." He shook his head. "So you have to make sure you've got your own car once you're sixteen because sex in your mother's car is just wrong."

"So only mommy can have sex in her car?" His blue eyes look up at him.

"You stop having sex in the back of a car once you're twenty-five." Damon shrugged. "It's like a rule."

"There are rules?" Liam's blue eyes went wide. "Can you teach me them?"

"I can." He got up from the bed and turned the television off. "But first you need to sleep and have ten other birthday parties."

"Damon?" Liam snuggled his nose into the pillow, his eyes fluttering. "Will you visit me again, because the nurse said I would have to stay for a few days because I was hyto ... hypa ... hiproo ... because I was really cold."

"Of course I'll visit." He smiled softly as the thought of spending more time with him rushed through his mind. "But only at night because you'll get a lot of visitors during the day."

"My grandpa is going to visit me tomorrow." Liam clutched his teddy bear tighter to his chest. "But I don't think he really likes me."

"Grayson?" His eyebrow arched. "Don't think that. Grayson loves you."

"No." He shook his head, curling up next to his teddy. "Daddy's daddy."

"Why doesn't he like you?" He hovered above the small body, wanting to shield it from the evil he knew. "I'm sure he loves you as much as he loves your daddy."

"No." Liam's looked up at him. "He says I remind him of someone he hates and that's why he can't look at me."

"I think he's the most dumb person I've ever met." Damon stroked Liam's hair back, boring his eyes into his. "He's crazy if he doesn't love you."

"Sometimes I think daddy doesn't like me either." He whispered quietly. "He always gets mad at mommy if I do something wrong."

"Grownups are usually pretty messed up." He smiled softly. "But that has nothing to do with you, your daddy loves you and your mommy would do anything for you."

"Will daddy be mad because I called mommy to pick me up?"

"No." He shook his head. "It was an accident and no one could do anything about it."

"But mommy's hurt." Tears welled up in his blue eyes. "It's my fault."

"Liam." Damon grabbed the boy's chin. "The only thing that went through our mind when we heard about the accident was taking care of you and your mom. No one is mad at you."

"Mommy said I had to run away from the car because it could explode, so I tried to run to auntie Care, but I got lost."

"You did good." He squeezed his arm. "And I'm sure your mommy will tell you the same once she wakes up."

"I just hope mommy will be okay."

"She will be." He adjusted the sheets and tucked him under, stroking his hair back. "How about that hug?"

Liam smiled softly as he reached his small arms out. He wrapped the little boy in his embrace, squeezing him tightly against his chest, giving him the comfort he hadn't been able to give in the past five years. He smiled as he felt the little boy place a kiss on his cheek, his tiny arms tightening around his neck.

"Goodnight, Damon."

"Goodnight, Liam." He placed a kiss on his forehead, closing his eyes to savor the moment. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Liam yawned and snuggled his nose in the pillow, his eyes fluttering. "Bye Damon."

He stroked Liam's cheek one more time and turned off the light, leaving the sleeping boy behind in his room. The white halls were empty as he found Elena's room again and sat next to her bed, taking her hand in his, softly stroking it with his thumb, his blue eyes focused on her face as he sighed.

"You could have told me about our son."

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	11. Between the sand and stone

Thank you Lauren for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 11

_'Between the sand and stone'_

"Doctor Salvatore."

Damon's eyes started fluttering as someone shook his shoulder and timidly called his name. He opened his eyes and looked at the woman beside him, her cheeks rosy, her brown eyes closed, her lips still closed around the tube that filled her lungs with air. She looked so beautiful that if it wasn't for the beeping sound of the machines next to the bed, he would have thought she was asleep.

"You asked me to wake you up at eight."

"Thank you."

He smiled at the nurse and turned back on his side, snuggling into the crook of Elena's neck. A small sigh escaped him as he stroked the few pieces of hair out of her face and draped his arm back around her waist, pulling her side closer into him.

"Not ready to wake up yet?"

He placed a kiss on her cheek and stared at her face, remembering those rare times he would wake up next to her in the morning. His lips would find their way to her skin and slowly wake her up. A small smile would rest on her lips as she came back to the world of the living and knew whose lips were kissing her awake.

"Take your time." He pressed his lips against her ear, letting them linger on her skin. "I'll be here when you wake up."

He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and ran his hand through his black raven hair. When he stood up, he squeezed Elena's hand softly before walking into the bedroom. He stared into the mirror at his own reflection, noticing the dark circles under his eyes, his skin pale, the usually shimmering blue eyes now dull.

His eyes focused on the girl on the bed, kept alive by the machines that were beeping around her. A shiver ran down his spine as the thought of her dying rushed through him. Never would he be able to hold her again and tell her he loved her. Never would he make love to her again until the sun came up. There wouldn't be any shared moments with the two of them and their son.

"Doctor Salvatore." The nurse appeared in the door, blocking his view. "Are we supposed to bring Liam breakfast or are you taking him?"

"I'll take him for breakfast."

The nurse disappeared again, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He changed into a fresh set of clothes and brushed his teeth before he stepped back into the room and placed another kiss on Elena's forehead, smiling softly at how peaceful she looked. The candy striper smiled at him as he walked out the room into the hallway. He started walking through the corridors that had become all too familiar during the past few days.

"Damon!" Liam sighed dramatically as he entered. "Good, you're here."

He shook his head in amusement as he noticed the serious expression on the boy's face. He stepped closer to him and saw the way his shoulders were hanging down, his pink lips formed into a pout. He couldn't ignore the stab that went through his heart as he saw his son unhappy.

"Hi buddy." He ruffled his chestnut hair. "What's wrong?"

"They made me wear orange." He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the orange sweater he was wearing. "Orange is not my color."

"I can't agree more." He chuckled and walked to the closet on the opposite side of the bed. "I had the coolest mom ever, she knew those bright colors didn't do it for me."

"Auntie Bonnie bought me this one." He turned around to the closet, his blue eyes more bright. "Where is your mommy?"

"She's in Chicago." He pulled a gray sweater out of the pile and walked back to the bed. "I don't see her a lot because I travel so much."

"Why doesn't she visit you?" Liam held his arms in the air so Damon could pull the orange sweater over his head. "My mommy would visit me all the time."

"She has a heart condition so she can't travel."

"Can't you fix her?"

"I'm trying to." He pulled the gray sweater over Liam's head, pulling his arms through the sleeves. "That's why I travel so much. I meet a lot of great doctors and maybe someday there'll be one who can help me save her."

"Do you want a hug?"

"I'm onto you, kid." His mood instantly brightened, his laughter echoing through the room. "You make me tell you these depressing stories so you can hug me."

"Is it working?" Liam flashed his white teeth at him, extending his arms. "Hug?"

"You're so much like your mother." He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the boy's small body. "Being so cute should be illegal."

"I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry." Damon rolled his eyes and pulled back from his embrace, looking at his feet. "Where are your shoes?"

"I don't know." He shrugged indifferently. "They disappeared."

"No shoes then." He picked Liam up from the bed and walked through the door. "One of the nurses told me it's weird that a five-year-old boy likes to be carried."

"In a few years people won't carry me anymore so I'm enjoying it."

"You're probably the smartest kid I ever met."

"Mommy says I got that from my daddy." He turned his bright blue eyes towards him, a proud grin on his face. "She says he's the smartest man she ever met."

"Do you think that too?"

"No." He shook his head fiercely, tightening his grip around Damon's neck. "You're the smartest person I ever met."

* * *

><p>"Can I have a coke?"<p>

"At nine in the morning?" He arched his eyebrow at the boy, shaking his head. "Your mom would kill me."

"She doesn't have to know."

A laugh escaped him as Liam waggled his eyebrows, the same thing he was always accused of doing. He kept his eyes on Liam, noticing the smallest things he was doing; pretending to read the big boards on the wall, playing with the magazines on the counter, smiling at every female that walked past him.

"You're the devil in pocket format." He ruffled the boy's chestnut hair, guiding him further in the line. "But no, no soda."

"But I want a coke." He stomped his foot, his pink lips forming a pout. "Pretty please?"

"No, Liam." He took a tray from the stack and started grabbing his own breakfast. "Milk, juice, or water?"

"Coke."

"If you don't tell me what you want, I'm going to choose for you." Damon looked the boy sternly in the eyes. "Milk, water, or juice?"

"Milk."

He couldn't be more amused as Liam turned his back towards him, keeping the pout on his face. During the past four days he had spent with him, he had started noticing his own character traits in the boy. For some reason it always made him smile whenever he found a new trait of himself in that small life he created with Elena. Most of the time he could only find himself in Liam's character or looks but there were small things that indicated he was as much Elena's son as his and it was those things he savored so desperately.

"Pear or banana?"

"Apple."

"You had an apple yesterday." He started looking for money in his wallet. "Choose something else."

"Banana."

"Here." Damon handed him the piece of fruit and put the tray on the counter. "Why don't you find us a seat?"

Liam ran into the cafeteria and chose a booth by the window. Damon shook his head in amusement as he started waving to the people that walked by the hospital, a smile growing on the boy's face as some of them waved back. He paid for their breakfast and brought the tray to their table, handing Liam his cereals and milk.

"So who's on your schedule today?" He sat down on the other side of the table. "Auntie Care? Bonnie?"

"Auntie Care's coming to visit." His mood suddenly lightened up. "She's going to take me for lunch."

"Did your grandfather already visit you?"

"No." He shook his head sadly, chewing on his cereals. "He's too busy but Daddy will visit me tonight after he visited Mommy."

"Did you see your mommy last night?" Damon studied the boy's expression, biting down on his own toast. "Did Daddy take you?"

"No. Daddy thinks I shouldn't see mommy like that."

"I'll take you tonight." He squeezed the boy's hand in his. "You should see your mommy."

"Why didn't you watch Grey's Anatomy with me last night?" His blue eyes bored into his, his voice pitching. "I tried to stay awake."

"I had to operate on someone who had an accident." He bit his lip, staring into the small ocean of blue. "I came to see you but you were already asleep."

"Meredith had sex with George, Mommy is not going to be happy."

"She'll get over it." He shrugged and chuckled as a doubtful expression crossed Liam's face. "Believe me, Meredith has sex with everyone."

"I want to be Meredith."

Damon spit out his coffee as Liam started chuckling, the young sound tickling his ears. He coughed a few times and started laughing with Liam whose blue eyes were staring at him. With a deep breath he composed himself and arched his eyebrow at the boy.

"Do you walk around in dresses?" An amused smile came across his lips. "Otherwise I'm going to have a talk with your mommy."

"I was talking about the Fiki Fiki, silly Damon." He rolled his eyes exaggerated. "Do you do Fiki Fiki with everyone?"

"What the hell is Fiki Fiki?"

"Sex." He stage whispered, his blue eyes shimmering. "Mommy thinks I'm too young to pronounce the word so we call it Fiki Fiki."

"When I was five, I didn't even know sex existed." Damon arched his eyebrow at him, shaking his head in amusement. "She shouldn't let you watch Grey's Anatomy. There's too much... Fiki Fiki going on."

"Do all the doctors have Fiki Fiki with each other?"

"No. Most doctors aren't as hot as the ones on that show."

"So you don't have Fiki Fiki?"

"Stop saying Fiki Fiki." He bit down his apple, chewing fiercely. "You're probably one of those kids that's going to get a girl pregnant when he's twelve."

"So no Fiki Fiki for you?" A proud grin spread across Liam's face. "Don't worry, I don't have Fiki Fiki either."

"I already know what I'm going to give you for your sixth birthday." Damon's blue eyes shimmered in amusement. "A castration."

"What's that?" Liam's voice pitched, the smile wiped from his face. "Is it good?"

"It's the exact opposite from I shoot, I score." He leaned back in his seat. "More like you shoot, you miss."

"Has it something to do with soccer?"

"It certainly has something to do with balls."

"You're weird." Liam sipped his milk. "I'll figure it out by myself."

"Let me know when you do."

"You." Grayson's hard voice appeared the same time as his figure. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Oh-oh." Liam's eyes went wide, staring at Damon. "You're in trouble."

"What did I do?" He arched his eyebrow at Grayson who glared at him.

"My wife woke up last night." Grayson pushed his finger into Damon's chest. "But I can't see her before her doctor sees her, meaning you."

"My shift starts in an hour." He turned back to his coffee. "I'll check up on her first."

"I want you to check up on her now." Grayson punched his shoulder. "Like twelve hours ago."

"Grandpa." Liam's voice pulled both men's attention to him. "What's a castration?"

"Something Damon should have had before he met your mother."

"What does Mommy have to do with balls?" He threw his small arms in the air. "You're both weird."

"What is he talking about?"

"You don't want to know." Damon stood up and patted Grayson's shoulder. "Let's see how your wife is doing."

"Can I come?" Liam's blue eyes looked up at them, filled with expectation. "I want to see Granny too."

"I don't know if you can see her but someone needs to keep your grandfather busy while I examine your grandmother."

Liam jumped out of his seat and ran to the door into the hallway. Damon and Grayson shared a look and walked after him; they caught up with him and waited for the elevator to come down to the first floor while Liam was bouncing in front of them, watching the red numbers go down until the doors opened in front of them.

"I want to press the button." Liam stood on tiptoes in front of the small panel. "What number?"

"Three."

Damon picked him up so he could push the button and put him back down next to him as the elevator started moving. A warm feeling rushed through his body as Liam grabbed his hand and held it tight with his small fingers. Grayson gave him a strange look and shook his head at the two of them.

"You're better at it than you think."

"At what?"

Grayson pointed his chin to Liam who was now hugging his leg instead of holding his hand. "Being a father."

"Don't." He gave Grayson a warning look and stroked Liam's hair as the boy pressed his cheek against his hip. "That's not what I am."

"But the more time you spend with him, the more you want to be it."

"We had this conversation five years ago." He turned to Grayson as the doors opened and Liam rushed out of the elevator. "I'll never be a father."

"But still you made him yours." Grayson held the doors open as they tried to close. "We both know whose name is on his birth certificate."

* * *

><p>"Miranda." Damon took the chart at the end of the bed. "How are you feeling?"<p>

"I thought I'd never have to see your face again."

"That good?" He arched his eyebrow at the woman as her brown eyes glared at him. "Well, you can thank me later."

"Why are you back here?" Her voice was hoarse, tired, fighting against the pain. "To break my daughter's heart a second time?"

"You should be glad I'm here or you'd be six feet under."

"If that kept you away from my daughter," she straightened her shoulders, trying to look stronger. "Gladly."

"I'm too tired to argue with you." He wrote a few things on the chart and hung it back at the end of the bed. "How's your chest feeling? Any pains?"

"No."

"Great." He rolled his eyes exaggerated, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Then my work here is done."

"I want another doctor." Her voice called him back as he tried to walk through the door. "I can't see your face every day."

"Can I ask you something?" He didn't wait for an answer as he turned around. "What exactly did I do to make you hate me this much?"

"You killed my daughter's marriage."

"Your daughter killed her own marriage."

"You broke her heart." She spat at him, her brown eyes wide. "And I knew you would, I warned her about you but she wouldn't listen."

"You didn't know me." He spoke through clenched teeth. "You hated me the moment I walked into your house."

"Because I knew what you would do." She coughed a few times, showing how weak she really was. "I knew you would ruin their marriage and break her heart. And you did. You think I didn't know that she was with you when she needed some time away from Stefan? You think I was that much of an idiot to not realize that she was with you the whole time?"

"I took her to Chicago with me because that was what she wanted." Damon threw his arms up. "She chose to go with me and leave her husband."

"And I gave it a year before you would hurt her and she would come back but you didn't even need a year to break her heart." She spat at him. "After three months she stood on our doorstep, crying and running into Grayson's arms. She never told me what was going on, she never even told me about the two of you but I was smart enough to know."

"Do you know why she never told you about me and her, did you never wonder?" His blue eyes locked with her brown ones. "She knew you would judge her."

"But I was right." Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Do you know what it's like to see your daughter waste away every day a little bit more?"

"You couldn't have been more happy with it." He snapped at her. "You begged her to come home and fix things with Stefan. You think I wasn't there when she talked to you on the phone? I was sitting right next to her and I was the one who held her when she got into another fight with you and cried herself to sleep."

"So you did your part in comforting her?" She snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. "But we had to do a lot more comforting after she came back."

"I'm pretty sure she didn't seek any comfort from you." He crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. "There are only two people she talks to when she's miserable, Grayson and Caroline."

"You think you're so smart." She let out a hard laugh. "Let me tell you, mister heart surgeon, you don't know half of the things I know."

"That I have a son?" His eyes snapped to hers, his body stiffening. "You think I don't know who Liam's father is?"

"I know you know." She turned her head away from him, chuckling at the irony of the situation. "You think I didn't notice the fact that my husband disappeared the day after my grandson was born? That he paid for a flight to Chicago with our credit card?"

"So you know Liam's mine?" He turned to the window, staring over the small village. "I didn't think she would tell you."

"She didn't. She thinks I don't know." Miranda swallowed back the lump in her throat. "But she never needed to tell me, I knew he was yours before he was even born."

"I knew she was pregnant before she did." He let out a hard laugh. "She didn't notice that she missed her period or that she suddenly ate everything with barbecue sauce and pickles."

"But you didn't tell her." Miranda whispered, her voice sounding horrified. "You let her walk out the door while you knew she was carrying your child."

"I was waiting for her to find out on her own. Every night I came home and I was waiting for a little package on the table with my name on it." He smiled as the memories came back to him. "I just wanted to know how she would tell me, with a little shoe or just something with "daddy" on it, maybe even the pregnancy test she peed on. But we all know that's not the way it turned out."

"So you just let her walk out the door and raise that baby without its father." Miranda shook her head at him. "I knew you were an asshole, but I didn't know you were a heartless asshole."

"What was I supposed to do? She wasn't going to take me back." He threw his arms up, irritated. "I did what was right for my kid, I didn't want him to be part of a broken family with a father that lived a thousand miles away. My mother raised me on her own and the day I met Giuseppe, I couldn't be more grateful she did."

"She was twenty and she was supposed to take care of a baby on her own?" Miranda shook her head in disbelief. "She was lucky Stefan forgave her and accepted your son as his."

"But he isn't Stefan's." His blue eyes shot fire. "I knew why Grayson stood on my doorstep that night, I counted the months in my head."

"Yes you may have counted the months in your head, but we counted the hours the night before." Miranda rolled her eyes in annoyance. "It took thirty-two hours before he was born, we had to take turns in holding her hand so it didn't bruise."

"She didn't want me here." He turned back to the window, his eyebrows knitting together. "She didn't want me in her life anymore and I respected that."

"That's where you're wrong." Miranda shook her head at him, making him feel like a little boy. "She had been in labor for twenty-four hours and I heard her scream your name."

"She was probably cursing me."

"No." Miranda's voice was timid, remembering. "She was waiting for you to run in that room and hold her hand. The last ten hours she didn't want anyone besides Caroline and Grayson in that room so she wouldn't have to keep on pretending. We were sitting in the waiting room but we heard her beg Grayson to call you. I'll never forget the look on Stefan's face when he heard his wife beg for another man. That's the moment I decided I would hate you forever."

"Stefan wasn't there when he was born?" He turned his head around in surprise. "She didn't let him in?"

"Caroline was the one who cut the umbilical cord." Miranda shook her head sadly, her eyes staring into the distance. "There's a reason why Liam and Stefan don't get along, it's because she put a distance between them since the day he was born. He's yours and she'll make sure that everyone knows."

"Why?" He turned to the window, his head filled with questions. "I broke her heart."

"Whatever you did, it wasn't enough to make her stop loving you."

"You don't know what I did?" His eyebrow arched in surprise. "No one told you?"

"No one knows I know about my daughter's affair." Miranda rolled her eyes at him. "But feel free to tell me."

"She doesn't want you to know." He snorted, shaking his head. "If she wanted you to know, she would have told you five years ago."

"Just like she didn't tell you about Liam?" A dangerous glint crossed Miranda's eyes. "She kept Liam from you."

"Maybe she remembered what you told me the day I found out Giuseppe was my father." He focused on Miranda's expression as she tried to remember her words. "Your exact words were, I'm not surprised at all, you're just like him."

"You are just like him."

"Giuseppe hates me, what if I start hating my kid?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I lived my whole life with the thought that my father didn't want me, only to find out thirty years later that he indeed didn't want me. So what did I do wrong with giving my son to someone who can love him? He doesn't need to feel unwanted, I don't want him to feel unwanted but if I'm just like Giuseppe? Then how can I ever love him?"

"That's a good question, Damon." Miranda's eyes filled for a second with remorse. "Do you think you can actually love someone?"

"I do." He started walking to the door, holding the handle. "I just don't know if I can love them enough."

"Can I see my husband now?"

"Sure." He pulled the door open, seeing Liam and Grayson chatting in the corridor. "You know Miranda, you might hate me but when it comes down to it, we love the same things."

"Doctor Salvatore." The nurse came into view. "Doctor Lockwood asked for you, it's about Miss Gilbert."

"Elena?" Miranda's eyes went wide as she heard the words from the nurse. "What's wrong with my daughter?"

"Yeah.. about that." He turned back around, smirking at the woman who was looking frantically at him. "You don't have to thank me for saving your daughter either."

* * *

><p>"You couldn't tell her gently, could you?" Grayson raced back into Elena's room, finding Damon next to her bed. "You had to throw it on her like you always do."<p>

"She deserved it after being a bitch." He squeezed Elena's hand, softly stroking her palm with his thumb. "That woman could become the president of the anti-Damon-club."

"How's she doing?" Grayson came to stand beside him. "What did Mason say?"

"She's breathing on her own." He stroked her hair back, a proud smile on his face. "They're going to remove the tube."

"I think she's getting ready to wake up." Mason walked into the room, pulling the white rubber gloves over his hands. "The only question is when she'll wake up."

"When she's ready." Damon moved out of the way so Mason could stand beside Elena. "She always takes her time."

He kept his eyes on Elena as Mason slowly started removing the tube. It was a weird feeling as a doctor to be worried about a simple procedure like this. But like Mason said the day he had operated on her, when it comes to the ones you love, you're not a doctor, you're the one that sits in the waiting room. And for some reason that pit in his stomach made him realize all over again how much he loved this girl, how he'd do anything to keep her safe.

"I'm going to get Liam." He patted Grayson's shoulder as he walked past him. "I promised him I would take him to visit his mommy."

"Damon." Grayson reached for his arm. "Thank you."

"You don't have anything to thank me for." He turned back around, facing the man that had become more his father than his real one ever would be. "I should be the one thanking you."

"You saved my daughter, wife and grandson in less than twenty-four hours." Grayson grabbed his shoulder. "I think I have a lot of things to thank you for."

"It's nothing you wouldn't have done for me, old man."

"I'm proud of you, my son." Grayson pulled him in an embrace, squeezing him tightly. "I'm as proud of you as any father could be of his son."

"I'm sorry I disappointed you, dad." He whispered in Grayson's ear, looking over his shoulder at the girl in the bed. "I never wanted to hurt you or her."

"Every son disappoints his father someday." He pulled his head back, boring his gray wise eyes into the young blue ones. "It's the way they make it right that makes their father proud."

"Am I doing it right?" He whispered, shaking his head in doubt. "Because I don't know what I'm doing back here after five years."

"You wouldn't be here if you didn't know it." Grayson gave him a smile filled with compassion. "And I think one of those reasons is now waiting for you to bring him to his mother."

"I'd better get him." He straightened his shoulders and nodded. "Patience isn't one of his virtues."

"I wonder where he got that from."

"I think from his grandfather."

"You really should have had that castration." Grayson rolled his eyes at him. "My life would have been so much easier."

"But so much more boring." Damon gave him a mocking expression. "Admit it, old man. You love having me here."

"Only because it makes my daughter and grandson happy." He shook his head at the young man. "And because I have a drinking buddy."

* * *

><p>"Hey buddy." Damon came whistling into the room before he noticed the mess on the bed. "What's wrong?"<p>

His whole body immediately went stiff as he noticed the red and puffy eyes from the small boy on the bed. A shiver ran through his spine as he imagined all the possible scenarios of what could have gotten him in this state. The instinct of being a dad and protecting what you love took over without him realizing it.

"Grandfather visited." A loud sob came out of his throat. "He hates me."

"No, no, no." He cupped the boy's face in his hands, connecting their blue eyes. "Nobody hates you."

"But he..."

Damon cradled Liam in his arms as the boy's small lungs fought to catch some air. He comforted him, whispering soothing words in his ears, hushing him whenever he tried to say something that made breathing more difficult again. After fifteen minutes the loud sobs that came out of his throat stopped and changed to whimpers and tears that streamed down his pink cheeks.

"Shh." He placed a kiss on his forehead. "It's okay, he doesn't hate you."

"He does.."

"No, listen to me." He cradled the boy better in his arms, letting Liam's head rest against his chest. "I never met my daddy because he didn't want to get to know me."

"Why not?"

"I thought because he hated me." He stroked the boy's chestnut hair, stroking it softly. "But now I realize he hates himself."

"But why would your daddy hate you?" Liam's blue eyes looked up at him. "I love you."

He had to fight back the tears that wanted to escape his eyes. The words came out so easily, like they were the most natural thing to say. And for a five-year-old boy they might seem like nothing, because he didn't yet understand how few people would actually make him feel that way. But for someone who had given fatherhood away five years ago, to think he would never want it, it was a pretty big deal. It made him feel like he deserved his son even less than he already did, he shouldn't get to have this amazing bond with something he gave up on five years ago. But that didn't keep him from feeling the same things, from developing that same connection with a part of him he had missed for a long time.

"He did something he was not proud of and that's why he doesn't like me very much." Damon swallowed back the lump in his throat. "But it's not my fault that he made that mistake, and it's certainly not my fault that I'm not the person he wants me to be."

"Do you think Grandfather wants me to be someone else?"

"I think your grandfather doesn't know what he wants." He stroked the boy's cheek. "But I do know that I would never want you to be someone else."

"Do you want to be someone else, Damon?"

"No." He shook his head slowly. "My father might hate me but he did give me a chance at life and he gave me the chance to meet you and your mommy and I can never thank him enough for that."

"Can we go see Mommy now?"

"Of course." He took a deep breath and composed himself, handing Liam a handkerchief. "But first, wipe those tears away."

"Here." Liam wiped his tears away and gave him the handkerchief back. "You have tears too."

Damon chuckled softly and wiped the few tears that had escaped his eyes from his cheeks, holding his arms out to Liam. "Do you want a hug?"

"I'm onto you, dude." Liam pushed his finger into Damon's chest. "You let me tell you these depressing stories so you can hug me."

"Come here, kiddo." He wrapped his arms around Liam, breathing in the scent of his chestnut hair. "I was wrong when I said you're so much like your mommy, you're more like your daddy than he wants to admit."

"Mommy says she likes it that I look like Daddy."

"Do you talk a lot about your daddy?" Damon rubbed his back, picking him up from the bed. "It seems like you do."

"Mommy likes to talk about Daddy. She says I should know what he's really like." Liam tightened his grip around Damon's neck. "Are you a daddy, Damon?"

"Not yet." He scanned Liam's face, noticing the serious expression. "You're only a daddy when someone calls you daddy."

"You can be my daddy until someone else calls you daddy." A proud grin spread across Liam's face. "So I'll have two daddies."

Damon stared at him, how it all seemed so simple to a five-year-old. Some part of him wished he could be his daddy, that his and Elena's son would call him that so it would be official, so no one could take it away from him.

"Buddy, you know how to get to your mommy's room, right?"

"Yes." He nodded fiercely as Damon put him down on the ground. "Why?"

"Because I have to make a phone call." He turned the boy around, ruffling his hair. "Just scream if you get lost."

"You can't scream in a hospital."

"You're five." Damon rolled his eyes, shrugging. "I'm sure you can get away with it."

"True." Liam's eyes filled with mischief. "Are you coming too?"

"Yes." He retrieved his phone from his pocket. "I'll be there in five minutes."

His eyes followed Liam as he turned around the corner into the direction of Elena's room. He stared at the lit screen and searched for a number he had never called before, a number he never thought to call when he got it. But now he had someone new to take care of, someone else to protect. And he would call that number until he knew that person was safe.

"Hello?"

"Hi Dad." He smirked into the phone, hearing the other man on the line gasp. "I think it's time for a family reunion."

"Damon?" Giuseppe's voice sounded shaky. "What do you want?"

"I want to have lunch with you." He rolled his eyes at the empty corridor. "We have something to discuss."

"What?"

"My son."

"You don't have a son." Giuseppe breathed into the phone. "Or at least not one I know of."

"Yeah.. you're pretty good at ignoring relatives." Damon walked further down the hall, seeing Elena's door open. "Seems like we have something in common after all."

"What do you want, Damon?"

"I have a business deal for you." His eyes paused on Liam who was talking to his motionless mommy. "Meet me tomorrow at lunch in the hospital cafeteria, pretend like you're visiting a relative, there are plenty to choose from."

"Who says I'm interested?"

"We both know you won't sleep until you've figured out what it is."

He disconnected the call and put his phone back in his pocket, watching Liam from the corridor. A small smile played across his lips as his son seemed to report every detail of the past week to his mother. With a deep breath he walked inside the room and sat down behind Liam, watching Elena's unresponsive form.

"When is she going to wake up?" Liam looked over his shoulder. "She's been like this for four days."

"She'll wake up when her body is recovered." He grabbed the blanket from the end of the bed and draped it over Liam. "It can take a while before she's ready to wake up."

"Will you take care of me until she wakes up?"

"I'll take care of you for as long as you want me to." He squeezed Liam's arm. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Can you tell me a bedtime story?" His blue eyes started to fall shut. "Mommy always does."

"I can." He picked the boy up from the bed and sat down in the chair. "But I think you're too tired to hear a bedtime story."

"You're smart." Liam snuggled into his chest, clutching the fabric of his shirt in his small fist. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Liam." He grabbed Elena's hand on the bed and placed a kiss on Liam's temple. "Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight Daddy."

He clutched the boy tighter to his chest as his blue eyes fell shut, the emotions swerving through his body like a tumbling car. His hand squeezed Elena's, touching the skins of the two people he loved the most.

He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't notice the brown doe eyes that were staring at him, seeing the light of her life asleep in the arms of the man that made her life worth living. Tears welled up in her eyes as she snapped a photo of them with her mind, carving it in her brain to keep it there until her last breath.

With all her power she brought that tiny piece of strength in her body to her fingers, feeling the pain that ran through her every bone as she managed to squeeze his hand lightly. It was so light that she didn't think he felt it, but then his blue eyes snapped to hers and his lips parted as he found her staring at him, the tears in her eyes because she wasn't strong enough to hold them back. Every memory she ever had with him, rushed back through her mind; the laughs, the cries, the heartbreak, the moments that seemed so unimportant but would later define their whole relationship. One of those memories clouded her vision.

_"It scares you, it scared you five years ago and it still does. You're scared to love that much."_

_"I'm not scared."_

_"Then say it."_

_"Say what?"_

_"I still love you."_

_"I don't. I stopped loving you the day I left you."_

But now she had encountered death and literally seen the light, she wasn't scared anymore. She wasn't that naive little girl from five years ago anymore. She was a woman now, a woman that had gone through the worst pain possible when she lost the one she loved more than herself, only to bear his son a few months after that and find every little piece of him back in that child. A child she kept hidden from him because she had been afraid of his reaction.

But the look in his eyes told her enough, the way he was holding their son in his arms, shielding him from the world with his own body so nothing could touch that young life in his arms. He knew. She could see it in his eyes, the fire that burned there like a lion that would protect his family until death took him. She could see the way his eyes were burning at her, filled with questions he already had found the answer to. While she lay here dying, he discovered life. The blue-eyed man became the father of the blue-eyed boy, the way it was always supposed to be.

She saw him struggling for words as he whispered her name quietly, still thinking about the boy in his arms. But she didn't need any words, every word he would speak before her would be unnecessary because there was only one thing that needed to be said, one thing she needed to find her voice for, she wasn't scared anymore, the words didn't need to be a secret anymore. So as she looked into the ocean of blue that still held her world after five years, she found her voice for the words that really needed to be said.

"I still love you."

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	12. Need a second to breathe

Thank you Lauren for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 12

_'Need a second to breathe'_

Her eyes switched between the blue ones and the closed ones from the boy in his arms, her heart drumming in her chest. She focused on the ocean of blue when he squeezed her hand, holding it in a tight grip. Tears welled up in her eyes as they stared at each other, remembering the times she woke up next to him in completely different circumstances. With his arms wrapped around her, his naked chest breathing against her own, her body comfortable and at peace.

She didn't have to almost die to realize she would never belong to someone else, she knew. When they had started an affair she told herself it was just physical and that after a few times her body would be satisfied so she could go back to her husband. But the truth was that deep inside of her she knew that after him, she couldn't just go back to her husband, not when she had been possessed like that, not when she had felt things her husband would never be able to let her feel.

She had to die to realize that you couldn't walk away from the one that was made for you, the only one who could love you the way you were supposed to be loved. The day she realized she stopped loving her husband and had fallen in love with someone else, terrified her, because she didn't want to give up her safe harbor, the place where she had let her anchor down. But that day disappeared to the back of her mind the day she realized just how much she loved him, what she would do to keep him so she would be able to love him. It had scared her at the time and she tried to fight those feelings, only to lose that fight. She was made to love him, she had been born to live next to him, to carry his ring and raise his children.

So at the end of the day that's what she did, she gave into him and spoke the words, held him in her arms and silently vowed to spend the rest of her life with him. And in return he loved her more than she thought possible, deeper than she'd ever seen a man love a woman. He became her world, became the air she breathed and the longer she loved him, the more she started to understand why she had been afraid to love him. He had the power to tear her down and kill her just with a few words, he could leave her and she would fall into pieces, finding no way out of her grief. Her heart had understood all along, there would be no man after him.

"You know." Her eyes traveled between his blue ones and Liam's sleeping form. "You know."

"Shh, it's okay."

"I'm so sorry." Tears started streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you."

"Calm down." He shifted in his seat, holding Liam against his chest. "Everything's okay."

"Is he okay?" Her eyes shifted to Liam who snuggled deeper into Damon's chest. "Was he hurt?"

"No, he's fine." He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "He's going home tomorrow."

"I want to hold him."

"I'll wake him up." He pulled his hand from hers, placing it on Liam's arm. "Ready for tears?"

"I just want to make sure he's okay." She nodded, flinching as she tried to move. "I want to hold my son."

"Liam." Damon shook his shoulder, quietly repeating his name until his blue eyes started to flutter. "Look who woke up."

"Mommy?" His blue eyes snapped open and locked with the brown ones from his mother. "Mommy!"

"Easy little guy." Damon picked him up as he tried to jump on the bed. "Your mommy is hurt."

Elena didn't feel the pain in her body anymore as she wrapped her arms around the little boy, squeezing him tightly against her. More tears streamed down her cheeks as she held him for dear life, showering the side of his face with kisses, whispering soothing words to her son that lay now crying in her arms.

"You okay?" She clutched him tightly against her, wiping away his tears. "Does anything hurt?"

"No." He shook his head and buried his face in the crook of her neck, sobbing quietly there. "I missed you Mommy."

"I missed you too." She ran her fingers through his chestnut hair, ignoring how much it hurt. "My beautiful son."

It was one thing to love a man, it was another thing to love his son. Because that piece she took with her the day she left him, was also the biggest piece of her, a piece she had been selfish enough to claim as her own. Once she became the mother to their son, some part of her felt complete; the child she wanted lay in her arms, the man she loved was in some way there, the foundation of the family she dreamed about was within reach.

"Damon."

She reached for him, for the first time since she woke up really realizing he was there, that she had spoken the words she should have said the day he forced them on her. Now their son was safe in her arms, there was only one other person to worry about, to hold in her arms to know she was really back in the world of the living. She pulled him next to her and shifted under Liam's small frame, taking all his weight on her to make room for his father. A sigh escaped her as he lay down next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, his blue eyes focused on her face.

"My boys." She wrapped her arms around both of them, squeezing them tightly. "I was so scared I wouldn't see the two of you again."

"Don't worry Mommy." Liam looked up from his spot, his eyes red and puffy. "We're not going anywhere."

"I know you're not going anywhere." She placed a kiss on his forehead, smiling softly. "Mommy's just being silly."

"He's right though." Damon's voice made her head turn around, her brown eyes locking with the ocean blue ones. "We're not going anywhere."

"Come here." She pulled him down by his collar, pushing her lips against his temple. "I know you're not going anywhere."

And as he looked back up at her, everything seemed so easy. There was no hurt, no betrayal, no heartbreak, just two people in love. It was as simple as that, she loved him and if she followed her heart, she would have forgiven him a long time ago. They would have been husband and wife by now, parents to their children. If she had followed her heart five years ago, she would have slammed the door shut behind her, sat on the staircase for five minutes and walked back in to wrap him in her arms and archive the fight as one of their many. But it hadn't been just one of their fights, there had been too much hurt, too much betrayal for her to forgive and they both knew it.

"He's out like a light." He pointed his chin to Liam who lay soundly asleep against his mother's shoulder. "He had a rough day."

"Did anything happen?"

"Not really." He pushed a stray hair back behind her ear. "He just needed his mom to wake up."

"I have this feeling his daddy did a pretty good job at taking care of him while I was unconscious."

"Yeah.. Stefan was mostly with you during the visiting hours." He pushed himself up on his arm, looking down at her. "But Caroline took him for lunch every day and Bonnie came by a few times."

"That's not what I meant." She cocked her head to the side, touching his cheek. "He wouldn't sleep in your arms if he didn't trust you."

"I buy him food." He shrugged indifferently. "It helps a lot."

"You've changed."

"Good or bad?"

"Good." She ran her fingers through his black hair, staring at him. "Five years ago you'd have run a thousand miles by now."

"I had a lot of time to process it." His eyes traveled to Liam's sleeping form, his blue eyes shimmering with pride. "We have a pretty great kid, you know?"

"I think we did a good job."

"You mean I did a good job?" He waggled his eyebrows at her. "You just had to spread your legs."

"Excuse me?" Her brown eyes went wide, her mouth forming a wide O. "I carried him for nine months, I didn't sleep for three months while I was pregnant and I had to raise a mini-you."

"Exactly what I mean." His eyes shimmered with mischief, a smirk resting on his lips. "You had fun."

"Stop teasing me." She slapped his chest, shaking her head in amusement. "I know you're just trying to push my buttons."

"I would never do such a thing."

"Of course you wouldn't."

He chuckled as she rolled her eyes at him, a gesture that was so familiar. Everything about them was so familiar, so easy and comfortable, a place where you found peace in. She looked up at him, remembering the times he looked down at her like that after a night filled with passion, the quiet and sweet mornings that followed after them. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered if there would any be moments like that in the future, mornings like that with their son in his parents' bed.

"Damon." She shook her head, looking at Liam. "We need to talk."

"And we will talk." He squeezed her waist lightly, smiling at her. "But first you need to get back on your feet and out of this hospital and then we'll talk."

"Hic et nunc, right?" She stroked the fabric of his shirt on the inside of his arm, knowing exactly where the words came from. "Hic et nunc."

"_Hic et nunc?"_

_She let her fingers trace the small tattoo on the inside of his arm, reading the words over and over again. Her bare back was pressed against his naked chest, his arm wrapped around her, his fingers combing her long chestnut hair in a rhythmic pace, the sweat drops of their early love making still running down their skins._

"_It's Latin." He placed a kiss on top of her head. "It means here and now."_

"_Does that mean you never think about the future?"_

"_No, it means I never think about the past, what happened happened, you can't change it, you can only regret it." He pressed his cheek against hers, leaving a kiss on her shoulder. "But why regret it if you can't change it?"_

"_Because you can learn from it." She looked up at him, straightening herself. "You don't make the mistakes you used to make."_

"_You can learn from them but do you have to regret them?"_

"_I don't know." She shrugged, shaking her head. "Depends on what it is."_

_He opened his mouth to speak but before he was able to voice his thought, he was cut off by the ringing sound of her phone. With a sigh she entangled their limbs and got up from the bed, finding her purse on the ground._

"_Hi Caroline." She put the phone to her ear, receiving an annoyed look from Damon. "Can I help you?"_

"_Where are you?" She listened to Caroline's rambling as she took her spot back in Damon's arms, snuggling into his chest. "We were supposed to meet for breakfast."_

"_Really?" She arched her eyebrow, holding back a moan as Damon's lips found their way to the sweet spot behind her ear. "When did we say we'd meet for breakfast today?"_

"_It's tradition." Caroline's voice pitched. "Whenever the boys are away for the weekend to one of their football games, the three of us have breakfast."_

"_I'm sorry Caroline, it slipped my mind."_

"_Where's your head these days?" Bonnie's voice suddenly blasted through the phone. "We've been doing this since you and Stefan started dating."_

"_I'm really sorry Bons." She chewed on her bottom lip, noticing Damon's questioning gaze. "Let's make it brunch, okay?"_

"_Sure." She placed her head back on Damon's chest as Bonnie seemed to calm down. "But where are you?"_

"_I'm at my parents' house." Her voice trembled, her eyes looking at Damon. "You know I don't like sleeping alone in that big house."_

"_Do we have to pick you up there?"_

"_NO. NO." She jumped up straight. "I'll meet you at the grill in an hour."_

"_Okay, see you there."_

"_I feel dirty." Damon cocked his head to the side, glaring at her._

"_Why?"_

"_If you're at your p__arents__'__ house, that means I'm supposed to be your dad."_

"_You're too pretty to be my dad."_

"_We talked about this before." He threw his arms up, throwing his legs over the bed. "I'm not pretty."_

"_I'll call you handsome if you let me have dibs on the shower." She pecked his cheek, finding her toiletries in her bag._

"_Why can't I have dibs on the shower with you?"_

"_Because if you get into that shower with me, I'll never be on time."_

"_This is your lucky day." He smirked dangerously, grabbing her waist. "Quickies are my specialty."_

"_You're not quick enough for this quickie." She pushed him back against the mattress. "Stay here."_

_She grabbed her robe and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. With a sigh she started brushing her teeth, hearing the different noises from the bedroom. She jumped as the door was suddenly pushed open and Damon walked into the bathroom._

"_I have to pee."_

"_Couldn't you tell me two minutes ago?" She rinsed her mouth, glaring at him._

"_I didn't have to pee two minutes ago." He rolled his eyes, shrugging. "But then you started talking about the shower and I started thinking about water which made my bladder think about water and suddenly I realized I had to pee."_

"_Yeah.. that makes complete sense."_

"_So get out or I'm just going to pee while you're in here."_

"_Fine." She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the counter. "Pee."_

"_Are you sure you're a girl?" He cocked his head to the side, studying her. "Pee scares girl."_

"_Don't poop in front of me and I'll be fine." She waved a hand in front of her. "Go on."_

"_I'm going to pull my penis out."_

"_Ooooh." She waved her hands above her head. "Make sure he doesn't scare me."_

"_He didn't scare you last night." He waggled his eyebrows at her, unzipping his black jeans. "Exactly the opposite I might say."_

"_Can I ask you something?" She kept her eyes on his bare back as he turned to the toilet. "Do you ever sit down just to pee?"_

"_Yeah..when I'm drunk." He looked over his shoulder, smirking. "Bad college experience."_

"_Do I want to know?"_

"_Let's just say the room was on fire and I was the fireman."_

"_You never come into my bathroom when you're drunk."_

_She turned back to the sink and started removing the makeup she hadn't been given to remove last night when he pushed her against the wall and carried her to bed. Her eyes snapped up as she heard the toilet flush and watched him walk in her direction, nudging her to the side so he could wash his hands._

"_My turn to ask questions." He leaned against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. "Why do you always ask me and never your husband?"_

"_Ask you what?"_

"_You know what." He rolled his eyes at her, taking the washing cloth out of her hands. "All these questions about sex and what men do."_

"_You're just more open about it." She shrugged indifferently, timidly looking at him. "My relationship with Stefan isn't like that."_

"_You're married to him, it's the most intimate relationship you can have." He lifted his shoulder, his blue eyes wide open. "But it's like he shuts you out."_

"_I know it seems like a foreign concept to you but some people have boundaries." Her voice trembled, her brown eyes locking with his blue ones. "Even in a marriage there can be something like privacy."_

"_But not like something about sex."_

"_He's raised differently than you." Her eyes went wide, staring at him. "They don't talk about sex in his family, it doesn't exist to them so he's not comfortable talking about it."_

"_Since he's having sex with you, he should at least talk about it with you."_

_She wasn't faithful to either of them and unlike her husband he knew there was another man in her life, that she shared her bed with someone else. He never mentioned it but sometimes he let something slip that made her aware of the fact that he didn't completely agree with it. Her husband was still her husban__d and she would try to be the wife she had promised to be on their wedding day, only did she have someone on the sideline, someone waiting for her in the shadows, waiting for her to run into his arms and drag her away from her life. He knew her husband still tried to love her like before he came into her life, but he also knew that he was the one that shared her bed the most, that he was the one she craved every second of the day. And if they kept going like this, there would be a time when he told her to choose because she couldn't keep the both of them. Silently she prayed that, that day would be in the distant future because she wasn't ready to leave her safe harbor, the man she had loved for over three years. But on the other side she wasn't ready to say goodbye to the new man in her life, she needed him, longed for him every hour of the day._

_She started to lean on him, trust him with her whole life and all her thoughts. He knew every little thing about her, more than her husband would ever know and it scared her to let someone get that close but on the other side it felt good to have someone that close. When they started an affair, the lies started, the manipulation of her every friend and family member, but not him. Because he lived the lie with her and became the only person that knew the whole truth about her._

"_Can we stop talking about this, please?" She looked him firmly in the eyes, begging him with her doe ones. "I know you think he's a sucky husband, but he's a good man and he takes care of me."_

"_He just needs his privacy, right?"_

"_I wish he was as open as you, but.." She touched his arms, searching for words. "That's not who he is and I married him for who he is."_

"_You can as__k me any question you want, okay?" He cupped her face in his hands, his blue eyes looking at her. "I don't want you to break your pretty li__ttle head about something silly__;__ I don't want any secrets between us."_

"_There aren't any." She kissed the inside of his palm, reveling in his touch. "There will never be any."_

"_Get in the shower or you'll never be on time."_

_She smiled softly, leaning forward against his chest, her ear pressed against his heartbeat. A sigh escaped her as he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly against him, leaving a kiss on her forehead. Most of the time she just wanted to disapp__ear into him, run away from her life and hide in his body so she didn't feel the worries that her everyday life brought._

"_I think you need a shower too." She looked up at him, pressing her mouth to his._

"_I thought you got dibs on the shower?"_

"_You can have dibs with me."_

_He nodded gently, knowing what she needed right now; he always knew. Sometimes she wondered if he had the ability to read her mind, to give her body exactly the kind of comfort it needed, to speak the words she needed to hear to be soothed._

_He started tugging on her robe, letting the two sides fall open and expose her naked skin to the cold air. His blue eyes roamed over her body, devour__ing it as they darkened with lust. Her lips trembled as they softly met his in the middle, slowly falling into the gentle pace they had perfected._

_She grabbed the waistband of his jeans and pulled his stomach against hers, feeling him press into her. Her fingers started playing with the button, fighting with it until it loosened and she could drag his zipper down. He growled into her mouth as she let the jeans slide over his bottom, following its path down with her palms._

"_You're going to be late." He breathed against her lips, grabbing her thighs. "They'll kill you."_

"_Shh. It doesn't matter." She claimed his lips back as her own, pulling him into the shower. "Here and now."_

"Here and now." He nodded with a small smile, watching her stroke the fabric of his shirt. "We don't have to think about tomorrow."

"Can tonight last forever?" She stared at him, her doe eyes finding the blue ones. "I don't want this moment to end."

"It doesn't have to." He took her hand in his, kissing her wrist. "We can be like this forever."

"Doctor Salvatore."

His eyes left hers as a nurse appeared in the doorway, carrying a frustrated look on her face. She swallowed back the lump in her throat as he held her hand tightly in his, stroking it with his thumb. She moved her head to the side, finding her son soundly asleep on her chest, his pink lips parted, dreaming silently about a peaceful world. A small smile came across her lips as she looked at the two other bodies in the bed, her mind wondering what she did to deserve them, how she pleased God to let him give her the man she was made for and make her the happiest person in the world, why she got to carry his son and got a piece of him forever.

"We have to run some tests on Miss Gilbert." The nurse put her hands on her hips. "You should take Liam to his room."

"It's fine." Elena lifted her head from the pillow, looking for the nurse. "They can stay."

"It's best if they leave so we can run a few tests before your husband arrives." The nurse stepped into the room. "We've already called him, he's on his way."

"Normally I'd pull out my doctor's card and put her in place but she's right." Damon placed a kiss on the back of her hand and draped her arm back on her stomach. "You should have an x-ray and Liam should be in his own bed."

"Damon.."

"Don't worry." He got up and moved to the other side of the bed, leaning over Liam's sleeping form. "I'll be around."

"Goodnight my beautiful baby." She placed a kiss on top of Liam's head and squeezed him tightly against her. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Elena." He kissed her cheek and picked Liam up from the bed.

"Goodnight Damon."

Liam placed his head against his chest as he carried him through the empty corridors, whispering a few words in his sleep. Damon smiled as he noticed the trait he inherited from Elena, remembering the nights he would listen to her talking in her sleep, silently wishing that he could hear it every night.

"Daddy?" Liam moaned in his sleep, his blue eyes fluttering. "Where's Momma?"

"Mommy's going to sleep in her bed tonight." He placed him down on the hospital bed, pushing the sheets out of the way. "You can see her tomorrow."

"I'm going home tomorrow."

"I know." He stroked Liam's chestnut hair back, sitting next to him on the mattress. "You can finally sleep in your own bed again."

"I don't want to go home." His blue eyes snapped open, locking with the ones from his father. "I want to stay here with you and Mommy."

"Wanna know a secret?" He leaned closer to Liam, whispering slowly. "I don't want you to go home either."

"Then why can't I stay?" His big blue eyes looked up at Damon, filled with questions. "I can stay with Mommy while you're fixing people."

"No." He ruffled the boy's hair, smiling softly. "You should go home and sleep in your own bed, a hospital isn't a place for a boy like you."

"You can stay with me." Liam's eyes went wide, his voice filled with excitement. "I have a really big bed because Mommy sleeps with me all the time."

"She does?"

"Yes." He nodded fiercely. "She has nightmares all the time but she says it's better when she sleeps with me because I keep them away."

"What are the nightmares about?" Damon arched his eyebrow at the boy. "Did she ever tell you?"

"No. Mommy says I shouldn't worry but sometimes she wakes up crying and screaming because of a bad dream." His blue eyes drowned in sadness. "I don't like it when Mommy cries. It makes me scared."

"Mommy's a big girl." He lay down next to Liam, turning on his side. "You shouldn't be scared, she'll be fine."

"Sometimes when Daddy is away with Grandpa, Mommy doesn't go to work and lets me stay home from school and we spend the whole day together without Daddy." He put his finger to his lips. "But I can't tell anyone, it's our secret."

"My mom used to keep me home from school all the time." Damon rolled his eyes, chuckling softly. "She hated it when I was away the whole day and she didn't get to spend time with me."

"I never spend the day with Daddy because he thinks I should inac..intr..intact..int.. I should talk to other kids." Liam looked up at him, folding his hands under his cheek. "But I play a lot with uncle Tyler and Grandpa."

"He's right, you should have friends but there isn't anything bad about spending time with adults." He tucked Liam under as he started yawning. "And sometimes you just need your mom."

"Who's going to take care of Mommy when I go home?" His blue eyes welled up with tears. "Someone has to make her smile."

"I'll make her smile." He scooted a little closer to Liam. "I took care of you and when you go home tomorrow, I'll take care of your mommy."

"Damon." Liam clutched his black shirt with his little fist. "Are you staying tonight?"

"Silly question." He placed a kiss on Liam's forehead. "Where else would I go?"

"Goodnight Daddy."

Liam placed his cheek against his father's chest, yawning his way into sleep. The older blue eyes looked down at him, feeling his heartbeat in his chest, wondering why he had been so stupid to miss out on five years. He hadn't been ready at the time to be a father so he stayed away after she left and as a punishment, he had to miss out on five years of his son's life, not knowing that in the deepest part of him he wanted to be a father, that he wanted to protect that piece of him, that he wanted to share a piece of him with the woman he loved.

"Goodnight son."

* * *

><p>"Giuseppe."<p>

Damon plopped down in the booth, meeting the glaring green eyes. A shiver went down his spine as he thought that people saw Giuseppe in him, a cold man, someone that couldn't love anyone besides his son. The man that had left his mother and never appeared again; the same man that had felt obligated to sign his birth certificate in secret but refused to acknowledge him as his son in public.

"Let's make this quick Damon." Giuseppe slammed his glass of bourbon down on the table. "What's the business deal?"

"First things first." He leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. "What's your problem with my son?"

"You don't have a son." Giuseppe let out a hard laugh. "At least not one I know of, or did one of your one night stands finally get pregnant?"

"Well yes." He smirked dangerously, boring his eyes into the green ones. "I believe your son took her in."

"You do not talk like that about my son." Giuseppe's hand balled into a fist on the table, his green eyes wide open. "I will not allow such words from someone who never took one responsibility in his life."

"You don't like me talking shit about your son?" His teeth clenched together, his blue eyes burning with fire. "Well Giuseppe, seems like we have something in common after all."

"What's the deal?"

"What's your problem with Liam?"

"He looks like you." Giuseppe spat at him, his hands gripping the table. "He reminds me of everything I hate."

He felt the pang in his chest once Giuseppe spoke the words. He had long ago said goodbye to this man, gave up any hope to ever have a father. But that didn't mean that it didn't hurt to know the one that gave you life, hated you, hated the thought of you, hated the fact that you lived.

"Here's the deal." He threw the papers he had been holding on the table, straightening himself. "You sign them and I won't inherit anything the day you die. It's what you want, you don't want me to get anything from you."

"Why would you do this?" Giuseppe stared at the papers and back to him. "You love luxury, you love money, it's the only thing you want from me."

"You think that?" He arched his eyebrow at the man, shaking his head. "The day I met you, I thought I'd finally get a father but that dream died long ago. Now I'm just here to make sure my kid doesn't suffer the same fate."

"So what happens if I sign this?"

"According to the law every child gets a piece of the inheritance when their parents die, this way you disown me and Stefan will get everything." He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "In return you stop treating Liam like he's a hole in the road and act like he's the most special kid on Earth."

"How do you know I won't just sign this and keep on treating him like I treat you?"

"Because you're a man of your word, it's the only redeeming quality you possess."

"I will sign this thing." He grabbed the paper from the table, retrieving a pen from his pocket. "Just so I'm sure you don't get a penny from me."

"Don't worry." He cocked his head to the side, his eyes shimmering in amusement. "From what I've heard, your poor writer son needs it more than I do."

"Stefan has a job now." Giuseppe looked up, grimacing. "He works for me now."

"Of course." Damon let a hard laugh escape his throat. "He could never accomplish anything on his own."

"He married Elena on his own." Giuseppe smirked, glaring at him. "That's something you didn't succeed in."

"It's a shame he didn't know how to keep her."

"She came back to him." Giuseppe pushed the papers back in his direction. "He couldn't stand the sight of you but he took her back and raised your son with her, that's more than I would ever do."

"What you said about hating me?" Damon stood up, grabbing the papers from the table. "You don't hate me, you hate yourself for what you did to your wife, you hate the thought of me because I'm here to remind you of it."

A flash of pain crossed Giuseppe's eyes, his mask broken. "How is Lauren?"

"Dying."

* * *

><p>"Damon!"<p>

Liam jumped off the bed as he entered, his blue eyes shimmering in joy. A sense of pride washed over him, knowing that one of the obstacles to keeping his son happy had been taken care of. He scooped the boy up in his arms and placed a kiss on top of his head, squeezing him tightly against him.

"Hello Damon." Caroline turned around from the closet, carrying Liam's clothes. "I knew you would squirm your way into his life."

"Caroline." He nodded in acknowledgment. "Are you taking him home?"

"Yes." She put one of her blond curls back behind her ear, smiling softly. "Stefan spends most of his time here with Elena or at work so I'm going to stay at their place for a while, he should sleep in his own bed."

"You're a good aunt."

"Auntie Care's the best." Liam's eyes shimmered, a wide smile on his face. "We're best friends like her and Mommy."

"He doesn't like staying with Bonnie, they don't get along." She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. "I wonder where he got that from."

"You have to admit the kid knows who the good ones are." He winked, looking at his son like a proud father. "You could learn a thing or two from him."

"Or more." Liam cocked his head to the side, grinning. "I taught auntie Care how to play on the Wii."

"And that's exactly what we're going to do tonight." Caroline put her beaming smile on, focusing on Liam. "We're going to play on the Wii, watch a movie and eat lots of ice cream."

"See why I love her?" Liam turned to Damon, grinning like a kid that was just promised ice cream.

"Your clothes are packed." Caroline zipped the suitcase up. "We're going to say goodbye to your mommy and head home."

"You know what?" Damon grabbed Liam's suitcase from the bed, carrying it to the door. "I'm going to walk the two of you to the elevator."

"Someone has separation anxiety." Caroline sing-songed, rolling her eyes at him.

"I'm just being a gentleman." He shrugged indifferently. "Most women would appreciate the gesture."

"Damon." Liam pulled his attention back to him by patting his cheek with his tiny hand. "When will I see you again?"

"I don't know buddy." He squeezed the boy's waist, shaking his head. "But you know how to find my office right?"

"I have to push the fourth button in the elevator, walk through the end of the hall and take the third door on the right." Liam nodded proudly, his blue eyes shimmering. "I remembered when you showed me."

"And what do you do if I'm not there?"

"Then I go to the nurse and cry until she calls you."

"Good boy." He put Liam down in front of the elevator, placing a kiss on top of his head. "I'm so proud of you."

"You're going soft, Salvatore." Caroline took the suitcase out of his hands. "You're like a big melting ice cube."

"Your name is Salvatore?" Liam's blue eyes went wide, staring at Damon. "My name is Salvatore too."

"I know."

"Does that mean we're family?" His blue eyes lit up in excitement. "Because then we can spend Christmas together and me and Mommy can make you a present and we can sing songs around the Christmas tree and,..."

"Slow down." Damon chuckled, taking his son's shoulders. "It's all very complicated. We'll talk about it later, okay?"

"Okay." He nodded timidly, his blue eyes filling with sadness. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too buddy." He wrapped his arms around the small body in front of him, sighing into the crook of Liam's neck. "Be good for auntie Care."

"Always."

Damon smiled as Liam pulled back and took Caroline's hand. He watched them walk into the elevator together and sighed as the doors closed in front of him. A hole appeared in his heart as the little boy was now pulled away from him. He had known their time was limited and that he'd have to give him up again once they discharged him. He thought he wouldn't have any problems with it, that he'd be relieved to see his son go back to the only father he knew. But during the past four days, something had changed, something deep inside of him had made its way up, a longing, a craving he hadn't known he had. The desire and the urge to be a father to the son he gave life to.

"You know don't you?" A voice behind him made his head snap around. "You're an asshole but you're not an idiot."

"I know a lot of things, Stefan."

"I knew she named him after you, she thought I didn't." His green eyes locked with his blue ones. "After I found out you were my brother, I learned everything there's to know about you, Damon Liam Salvatore."

"So you did show some interest." Damon smirked, walking past him. "That's more than our alleged father ever did."

"I actually liked you until I found out you fucked my wife." Stefan's shimmering eyes went dull. "Let's say it changed my opinion on having a brother."

"I'm sure it did."

"Does Liam know about you?"

"He knows I exist." He rolled his blue eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. "He doesn't really know who I am though."

"Let's keep it that way." Stefan's eyes narrowed, his body stiffening. "He doesn't need to be confused about something that eventually will only hurt him."

"Who said I'd tell him?" Damon arched his eyebrow at him. "My son deserves to be raised by good people and the last time I checked, you're still a better person than me."

"When did you figure that out?"

"Five years ago." He looked down at the ground, staring at Stefan's feet. "When Grayson showed up that night with the birth certificate.."

"Grayson did what?" Stefan interrupted him, his green eyes going wide. "What birth certificate?"

"Right. You don't know." He rolled his eyes, looking back up at Stefan. "You really think you're legally Liam's father?"

"Who else is?"

"I am." He spoke the words slowly, watching Stefan's face carefully. "Grayson came to me the day after he was born, I signed the birth certificate."

"But I signed the birth certificate." Stefan shook his head doubtfully. "I'm his father."

"You're not." Damon shook his head. "She didn't want him to be yours so Grayson made sure there were two birth certificates, one with your name and one with mine."

"But if you're Liam's father, what happened to the birth certificate with my name on it?"

"She keeps it somewhere so she can push it under your nose when you try to question if you really are his father." He shrugged indifferently. "The one with my name on it was filed."

"How could she do this to me?"

"She was the one who didn't want Liam to be yours but Grayson took care of it." He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "She doesn't even know he was with me, she doesn't even know I knew she was pregnant. She thinks Grayson pulled a few strings and made him mine, but that's not how it works, he needed my autograph."

"You knew she was pregnant?" Stefan shook his head at him. "How could you've known?"

"I didn't go to medical school for eleven years to learn how to change diapers." He rolled his eyes, giving Stefan a mocking look. "Besides it didn't take a genius to figure it out, I'm pretty sure you would have noticed too."

"You knew she was pregnant?"

"Like I already told you three times. Yes." He threw his arms up as Stefan gave him a look. "I didn't want to be a father back then and it's clear now that she doesn't want me to be his father. I tried to drag it out of her ever since I've been here, even went as far as asking why she didn't have an abortion. The only thing I got was a slap in the face."

"All this time I thought I had a son with her." Stefan looked up at her, his expression shocked. "Turns out I have nothing, no son, not even a wife."

"You have a wife, Stefan." He clenched his teeth together. "You have the most amazing wife in the world. And you have a son, you raised him, Liam sees you as his father."

"But I don't really have her." His green eyes looked up at him. "I know you take my place next to the bed after visiting hours, I know you were there when she woke up and I know she's now waiting until you come back."

"She deserves you because I don't deserve her." Damon shook his head, swallowing back the lump in his throat. "She loved me more than anything and I hurt her so badly that she'll never look at me like she used to. But you never hurt her, she came back to you because she knew she could trust you and she could trust you with our son."

"You're wrong." Stefan let out a hard laugh, starting to count on his fingers. "She only lets three people near him, Grayson because he loves you, Caroline because the two of you have some weird understanding going on and Tyler because he reminds her of you."

"Whatever the reason was..." He lifted his shoulders. "..she chose you over me and she let you in Liam's life."

"She hated that she was pregnant when she came back." Stefan looked him firmly in the eyes, seeing his expression hardening. "She thought about an abortion and then she got a scare, just a small bleeding but after that, that baby became her world. He didn't sleep in his crib until he was one year old, it took three years before she let Caroline babysit him for a few hours."

"I..."

"You don't know all that because you weren't here." Stefan crossed his arms over his chest. "I more than once wondered how it would have been like if you were."

"I'm out of her life now."

"Then why is she still wearing that ring around her neck?" Stefan looked up at him. "It's a silver ring with a diamond in it, she's had it ever since she came back and she doesn't take it off for even a second. What does it mean?"

"That ring isn't any of your concern."

"But it bugs me." Stefan let out a hard laugh. "It's been tormenting my mind ever since I noticed it. The only thing I can come up with is an engagement ring but she's still married to me so that can't be it."

"Like I said, Stefan." He turned his back towards him, walking to the elevator. "That ring isn't any of your concern."

* * *

><p>His fingers pushed a strand of her chocolate brown hair back behind her ear, his blue eyes glancing over her sleeping form. He softly let his fingertips move over her cheek to her stretched neck, feeling the muscles beneath it. A small sigh left him as he moved over her collarbone to the silver necklace that rested in the place between her breasts. He followed the necklace to the swell over her breasts, finding the silver ring that rested on her skin.<p>

He turned it between his fingers and felt the weight in his palm, remembering the times when she wore it on her hand, showing other men that she was bound to someone. He smiled softly at the memory of when she saw it for the first time, the tears of happiness that had run down her cheeks, the smile that was plastered on her face.

A small gasp left his throat as a warm hand wrapped around his own, their fingers intertwined, the silver ring clenched between their palms. Her brown doe eyes bored into his ocean blue ones, shimmering with tears she held back. A small smile rested on her lips, remembering the same things that were now rushing through his mind.

He pulled his hand from hers and retrieved the same silver necklace from under his own shirt, a silver ring wiggling as he held it up in the air. A whimper left her throat as she took it in her hand and stared at it, tears running down her cheeks. He stroked them away and smiled at her, his fingers moving over her cheek as they both remembered what they once were.

"Hi wifey."

"Hello husband."

* * *

><p><strong>Follow me on Twitter for spoilers &amp; updates: PantiesDrop_<strong>


	13. He's the air I would kill to breath

Thank you Lauren for betaing this chapter.

* * *

><p><strong> Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 13

_'He's the air I would kill to breathe'_

"Why are your feet always so cold?"

"So you can warm them up."

She placed a kiss on his shoulder blade, feeling him shiver under her touch. A laugh escaped her as she pushed her cold feet against his legs another time, making a growl rise from deep in his chest. She rested her head back on his shoulder blade, throwing her leg over his waist, her arm resting on his strong back.

"And you have to stop using me as your personal pillow." He turned his head over his shoulder, the blue eyes locking with the brown ones. "My back is killing me."

"I'm not surprised." She snorted, shaking her head at him. "How long has it been since you slept in your own bed?"

"Two weeks." He mumbled into his pillow, flinching as the bright sunlight shone into the room. "It's all your and your family's fault. If you all stopped dying, I could sleep in my own bed."

She gave him a look for mentioning her family's condition in such a snarky way, the way he always was in the morning. He waggled his eyebrows at her, giving her his signature smirk, knowing she would forgive him. She rolled her eyes at him, forgiving him with the gesture, and shook her head in amusement as he snuggled his nose back into the pillow and went back to sleep, his breathing becoming her lullaby.

Her hand moved over his muscled back, caressing his skin gently. She smiled as he started purring like a cat, enjoying his skin against hers, the way they were most comfortable. Sometimes when she saw him with his clothes on, it was the weirdest thing ever to her. They weren't the kind of couple that hid themselves behind their clothes or turned the lights off while they were making love, they knew every curve in each other's body, knew to find every birthmark, knew how to please the other one completely.

"You're wearing boxers."

"Some people do that." His blue eyes snapped open, glaring at her. "Unlike you who's been sleeping naked next to me for the past four days."

"I can't wear anything under those hospital gowns when they put me under a scanner for the umpteenth time that day." She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "So from now on I just stay naked."

"Sounds more like my philosophy." He smirked devilishly, turning his head over his shoulder. "But hey, you don't hear me complaining about your lack of clothing."

"That still doesn't explain why you're wearing underwear." She arched her eyebrow at him, wrinkling her nose. "You hate sleeping with clothes on; it makes you feel like a prisoner."

"Well, I need to be held captive."

"What are you talking about?" She pushed herself upright, glaring at him. "You know I hate crosswords."

"I'm saying little Damon might get a little too excited if he meets little Elena somewhere in this small bed."

"Oh.."

She bit her lip as he nodded quietly. When he started spending the night in her bed instead of on the chair next to it, they made the silent agreement that nothing would happen. There were kisses, hugs, sweet whispers, but never something that eventually would lead to a full make-out session, kisses on the lips were even forbidden. Physically he kept his distance, she might sleep naked next to him, with her chest pressed against his but his hands never wandered; they stayed on the safe places of her body. Emotionally though, he was closer than ever. He didn't leave her side, during visiting hours he disappeared into theater only to reappear again once Stefan left the hospital.

They were back like before, talking about everything except for the thing that drove them apart, the one thing that would drive them apart again if it was brought up. Instead they talked about Liam, shared stories about the life they created, compared traits he inherited from the both of them. He was back in her life, went back to being her rock and most of the times it seemed like he never left, like all the hurt in Chicago didn't happen, that they just stayed in Mystic Falls and were still the couple that fell in love behind her husband's back.

"What are you doing?" He turned on his side as she let her hand slide under the waistband of his boxers. "No touching."

"Who are you and what did you do to Damon Salvatore?" She pushed her finger into his chest, chuckling softly. "I just wanted to give your butt a squeeze."

"What meds are you on?" His eyebrows knitted together, his blue eyes studying her. "I'm going to take a look at your chart, they gave you the wrong meds."

"Baby." She sing-songed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You're the only drug I need."

"You're scaring me." He chuckled softly, tapping her nose. "Stop it."

"But I want to squeeze your butt." She pouted, wrapping her legs around his waist as he sat straight up. "You used to love it."

"You're acting like Liam." He reached to the end of the bed, grabbing the chart. "And that's not a compliment for someone who's twenty-five."

"Hey! Don't insult our kid."

"I'm not insulting our kid, I'm insulting you." He rolled his eyes at her, reading the chart. "You're on morphine? Morphine usually knocks you out."

"And you knocked me up." She looked up at him through her long eyelashes. "I don't know which one is worse."

"Cute." He shook his head at her. "They probably gave you Prozac or something, you're far too happy."

"Maybe they just gave me you." She whispered huskily in his ear, her breasts pressing into his bare chest. "You make me happy."

"You two can't part for five seconds, can you?"

"_You two can't part for five seconds, can you?"_

"_What are you talking about?" Damon looked up, answering the text he just received. "It's just Elena."_

"_I know it's Elena." Grayson rolled his eyes. "She's been texting you ever since we got here."_

"_I'm hard to miss." He shrugged indifferently, smirking at the man. "She's on her way over here."_

"_Why would she spend her night with two drunks when her husband is waiting at home?" Grayson snorted, his breath reeking of alcohol. "That girl doesn't know her priorities."_

"_Actually Stefan's away for the weekend with Tyler, they went to see a football game." He diverted his attention back to his phone as it buzzed. "She had something with Caroline and Bonnie this afternoon."_

"_Are you really going to make me ask you?"_

"_Ask me what?"_

"_How long have the two of you been sleeping together?" Grayson's lips moved up into an amused smile. "And don't try to deny it, I'm onto you."_

"_You're wrong." He lifted his shoulders, repressing the urge to run away. "We're just friends."_

"_How do the kids call it these days?" Grayson tapped his chin, pretending to think. "Friends with benefits? Friends with a plus? In the old days we called it fuckbuddies."_

"_So how many fuckbuddies did you have?"_

"_Don't try to change the subject." Grayson motioned the bartender for another drink. "How long has this been going on?"_

"_A month." He downed his glass of bourbon. "It just sorta happened."_

"_Your penis sorta happened to fall into my daughter's vagina?"_

"_You're so going to regret this in the morning." Damon shook his head at him, shaking with laughter. "That's your daughter we're talking about."_

"_My married daughter." He saluted his glass at Damon. "I'm still sober enough to know that."_

"_Don't mention it." He grabbed the bottle from behind the bar, filling his glass. "My libido is very aware of that fact."_

"_Just do me a favor." Grayson looked him sternly in the eyes, suddenly appearing less drunk. "Don't tell her I know, she'll act all weird around me."_

"_Sure thing."_

"_Are you both drunk?" They both jumped as the chipper voice interrupted their stare. "Daddy, Mom's going to kill you."_

"_Look at it on the bright side, honey." He pointed his glass at her. "That means I won't have to spend the rest of my life with her."_

"_Daddy, don't say such things."_

"_You know Damon, me and Miranda we're happily married." He got a grin on his face, pointing his attention to Damon. "She's happy and I'm married."_

"_Matt." She pushed herself on tiptoes, calling for the bartender. "Can you call my father a cab please?"_

"_Sweetie I don't have enough money with me to pay for a cab." He patted Damon shoulders, his eyes dancing around in his head. "This one here made me buy him whiskeys."_

"_That means I'm paying for the cab." Damon pulled his wallet out, throwing some bills on the counter while standing up. "Have a good one, Grayson."_

"_Call me when you get home." Elena pecked her father's cheek. "I'll call Mom if you don't and you know what will happen then."_

"_Yeah..yeah." He hugged her tightly. "You kids have fun."_

"_Goodnight."_

"_Oh." Grayson called them back as they turned around. "Before I forget, Damon is spending Christmas with us."_

"_What?" Damon arched his eyebrow. "When did I say that?"_

"_I'm saying it now." Grayson shrugged indifferently. "You're not supposed to be alone on Christmas, you're celebrating with us."_

"_I don't know if that's such a good idea Daddy." Elena bit her lip. "Stefan will be there and Giuseppe and we all know that Giuseppe isn't a fan of Damon."_

"_But I'm a fan of Damon." Grayson grinned like a fool. "So he's spending Christmas with us."_

"_I guess you're spending Christmas with us." Elena looked up at Damon, shrugging._

"_I guess I'm spending Christmas with you then." He sighed into the air and turned to Elena. "Ready to go?"_

"_Uh-huh." She turned around and walked to the door. "Don't forget to call me, Daddy!"_

"_I won't!"_

"_Since when are you hanging out with my dad?" She pulled her jacket tighter around her once they stepped into the cold air. "I thought you only hung with the cool guys."_

"_He's like the only cool guy in town." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. "Besides, he called me and asked me if I was busy; since I was not thanks to you who left me all miserable and alone in my hotel room, we met at the bar."_

"_What do you do when I'm not around to keep you entertained?" She looked up at him with a devilish grin. "Call prostitutes?"_

"_Yeah.. and I watch commercials all day and buy stuff from shopping channels." He noticed her shocked face and shook his head in amusement. "I'm practically working every minute you're not with me."_

"_Good." She let out a sigh of relief, tightening her grip on his waist. "The shopping channels scared me for a minute."_

"_And the prostitutes didn't?"_

"_We both know I turned you monogamous." She placed a kiss on the skin on his neck, chuckling softly. "Besides they know you're off limits, I spread the word in the meeting for adulterous women."_

"_You're not a whore." He placed a kiss on top of her head. "Stop saying such things."_

"_Then what am I?" She looked up at him, shrugging. "I don't know who I'm supposed to be."_

"_You're Elena." He paused in his steps and turned to her. "You're beautiful, you're smart, you're funny but most of all you're just very – very confused."_

"_We make a great pair, don't we?" She rested her forehead against his chest. "We're both screwed up."_

"_How was lunch with Bonnie and Caroline?" He placed his chin on top of her crown, rubbing her back. "Did you have fun?"_

"_It was okay." She snuggled into his chest, tightening her grip on him. "I'm just glad I'm with you again."_

"_Yeah." He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. "We can't spend a minute away from each other."_

"We can't spend a minute away from each other."

Damon shrugged as Grayson shook his head at them and leaned against the doorpost. Elena pressed herself firmly against his chest, covering her nudity from her father's view. With a sigh Damon pulled the white sheet over her, draping it over her back.

"Why is my daughter naked on top of you?"

"It's nothing new." Damon waggled his eyebrows, finding Elena glaring at him. "But they started her on new meds yesterday and let's just say it's showing."

"I'm just happy, Daddy." She turned around to him, grinning like a fool. "Sooo happy."

"She's like Liam after three cokes." Grayson shook his head. "And you don't want to meet Liam after he's had three cokes."

"That bad?"

"Worse than you on caffeine."

"That's bad."

"I'm here to take you to see your mother." Grayson pointed his eyes at Elena, finding her brown doe eyes looking at him. "She's asked to see you."

"I can't go anywhere." Elena wrapped her arms around Damon's neck, hiding her face there. "Damon needs to be hugged all day long."

"If you stay in this state of undress, I can't say I have a problem with that." Damon waggled his eyebrows at her and gave Grayson a shrug. "I'm still a man."

"I'm going to be clinging like a koala onto you today."

"Damon." Mason appeared behind Grayson in the doorway and took in the intertwined couple on the bed. "There's been an accident, we need a heart surgeon."

"Miller's on call." He pulled the white sheet back over Elena's bare shoulders as it started to slip off. "I took the week off."

"You took the week off?" Elena's head snapped up and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Then where are you during the day?"

"The roads are blocked; Miller won't get here on time."

"But Damon can't go." Elena pouted, her arms wrapping tighter around him. "Then my heart will break into a million pieces and I'll need a heart surgeon."

"Don't look at me like that." Damon snorted as Mason arched his eyebrow at him. "You were the one who put her on those meds."

"She would be screaming in agony right now if I hadn't." Mason took a look at Elena's bruised body. "Be glad she's still here to annoy you."

"I'm sitting right here." Elena turned her head over her shoulder, her voice more quiet. "Can you please not talk about the fact that I almost died?"

She felt Damon stiffen in her embrace and as she turned her head around, she found him staring at her, his blue eyes filled with the agony of the memories from that night. Even as a doctor, he still couldn't cope with the fact that she almost died. A lot of people thought he became immune to it, that he didn't care anymore, it was a common mistake. The truth was that he became a surgeon to save people, losing them was not an option. And anyone who thought he didn't care, should have seen him like she did; find him curled up on the bed in a cocoon of sheets, a growl rising from his throat as she tried to sneak under them, the talks about the patient he lost lasting until the sun came up. He was human and he wouldn't let anything happen to anyone he loved, he'd rather die in their place than to lose them.

"I'll be there in ten minutes, Mason." Damon cleared his throat and gave his co-worker a tight nod. "Prep her for surgery."

"I'll get a nurse to help you dress." Grayson moved out of the way so Mason could walk past him. "Your mother will freak out if you visit her like this."

She smiled as her father closed the door behind him, leaving her alone with the man in her arms. Damon sighed and squirmed out from underneath her naked body, wearing only his boxer briefs. She stared at his bare back as he sat on the edge of the bed and stretched his neck to both sides, the muscles in his body tightening.

"I won't let you in my bed tonight." She sat up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. "You have a hotel room with a king-size bed, use it."

"If you don't let me in your bed," He moaned as she started massaging his shoulders, feeling his tight muscles. "Then I'll just sleep on the floor, it's about as comfortable as this bed."

"I won't let you in my room."

"Then I'll sleep in the hallway." He shrugged indifferently and leaned back against her chest. "You can't do anything against that."

"I'll call security and tell them there's a creep sleeping in front of my door."

"Then I'll just tell them you're schizophrenic." He turned his head over his shoulder, smirking devilishly. "Who are they going to believe? The surgeon or the patient?"

"Damon." She sighed, defeated. "Just sleep in your own bed tonight, I'm a big girl, I can sleep alone."

"I'll sleep in my own bed once you're in yours."

She rolled her eyes at him, knowing there was no way to win once he put his mind to something. He slipped from her grasp and stood up, finding his clothes on the table next to the bed. She watched him as he dressed himself, something she used to do all the time, admiring his body like a diamond.

"Enjoying the view?"

"I always did." She grinned as he rolled his eyes at her and started buttoning his shirt. "Besides, all my doctors are so old, I have to cherish it when I see someone younger than forty."

"You make me feel so good about myself."

"I would say thirty..." She let the words roll off her tongue, wearing her beaming smile. "But we both know you passed that number a few years ago."

"You're evil." He narrowed his eyes at her and grabbed his leather jacket from the chair. "No bedtime story for you tonight."

"You're treating me like Liam."

"Because you're acting like him." He walked back to the bed and pressed a kiss against her forehead. "Speaking about Liam, call Caroline and tell her I'll pick him up this afternoon."

"That's who you're spending your days with?" She let herself fall back against the mattress. "You're with Liam?"

"Duh." Damon shrugged like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Who else?"

Her mouth fell open at the new information. She searched for words while he just shook his head at her and started walking backwards to the door. A smile played across his lips as he pulled it open and the nurse appeared in the doorway. They crossed paths and Elena took a deep breath before looking at the nurse.

"Are you ready to see your mom?"

"Not really."

* * *

><p>"Elena."<p>

Miranda sat straight up in the bed as the nurse pushed Elena's wheelchair inside the room. Elena couldn't hold back her smile as she saw her mother's rosy cheeks and bright eyes. The last time she had seen her mother, her body had been lifeless, pale, weak. Now, it was full of life thanks to the man that lay beside her until a few minutes ago, the same man her mother hated with every bone in her body.

"Hi Mom." She placed her hands in her lap and waited until the nurse put the wheelchair next to the bed. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good, sweetie." Miranda's smile lit the whole room. "How are you? Your father told me about the accident."

"I'm fine." She shrugged her mother's worries away. "Just a lot of bruises, I'm a big smurf."

"That's not funny, Elena."

"I'm sorry." She shook her head, holding her arms up in surrender. "It's just something Liam said, I thought it was cute."

"How is Liam?"

"He's fine." She nodded with a small smile, thinking about her beautiful son. "They had to keep him in the hospital for a few days because he was hypothermic but he went home four days ago and he's doing good now."

"Our whole family in twenty-four hours." Miranda shook her head sadly. "What did we do wrong to the world?"

"We survived." She grabbed her mother's hand and squeezed it lightly. "That's the most important thing."

"We were lucky." Miranda took Elena's hand between hers, rubbing it softly. "So lucky."

"Lucky that Damon was here."

She realized her mistake as she looked up at her mother and saw the expression on her face, the anger boiling beneath the surface. Damon would never be good enough for her, no matter how much money he made, no matter how many compliments he gave, no matter how many times he saved her life, her mother would never accept him for the person he was, she never had.

"_So Damon, why is a man like you still single?"_

_Elena leaned back in her seat as her mother continued her game of twenty questions. She stared from the lit Christmas tree to Damon and wondered how he could stand it, why he still hadn't lost his temper. A sigh escaped her as Stefan took her hand in his under the table and squeezed it softly._

"_I'm not always single." Damon glanced in her direction as she rubbed her feet against his leg underneath the table. "Some nights I am, the other ones I'm not."_

"_You're one of those heartbreakers." Miranda nodded, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "I'm glad my daughter already gave her heart away to a good man."_

"_I wouldn't worry about Elena's heart." Damon sent a dangerous smirk in her direction, making her mother look at her. "I wouldn't dare to come near it."_

_Miranda's gaze shifted between the stranger in her house and her daughter, noticing the lingering look they shared. An uncomfortable silence fell as Elena kept her eyes locked with the blue orbs, drowning in them like she had done the nights he wasn't single. He said he wouldn't come near her heart, not realizing he was already in it, that she wouldn't have been able to get through this Christmas day without him beside her._

"_So Damon," Stefan straightened his shoulders as he broke the uncomfortable silence. "Since we want to know everything about you, what did you have for breakfast?"_

_She smiled gratefully as her husband tried to lighten the mood. Everyone let out a soft chuckle while her mother's face fell and she stared daggers at Stefan. Her father couldn't be more amused and exchanged a look with Giuseppe who sat at the end of the table. She swallowed back the lump in her throat as she saw him study Damon, keeping his green eyes on him at all times, like he was trying to make him disappear. Stefan on the other hand had been nothing but nice to him, probably because he didn't know that his wife was spending a lot more time with the blue-eyed-man than he could ever imagine._

"_I'm going to clean up." Elena stood up and grabbed the plates from her neighbors. "I made dessert."_

"_We're all going to die." Damon muttered under his breath, glancing around the room. "Nice knowing you all."_

"_Oh, shut up." She threw a napkin in his face, rolling her eyes in mock-annoyance. "You survived the cake."_

"_I didn't eat it."_

_The smile fell off her face as she remembered the night she brought it to him, the passion and lust that filled that night. She stared at him, noticing the amused smirk that rested on his face, his eyes that twinkled in mischief, in her head she wondered how she had managed to be happy before him. Her husband was standing beside her, now talking to his father, but she didn't feel the attraction towards him that she felt towards the man on the other side of the table, she had never felt that kind of attraction, the need to have his skin against yours every second of the day, counting the seconds until you could be with him again._

"_We don't trust her enough to cook the main course." Caroline's chipper voice made her head snap around. "And she's never on time for the first course, Elena's always late."_

"_Really?" Damon gave her a devilish look, his blue eyes shimmering. "Elena usually comes right before me."_

_A gasp left her throat as he waggled his eyebrows at her. She looked around the room, finding only her mother watching the three of them interact. Caroline just shook her head at him and went to stand beside Tyler in front of the fire place. Her father, husband and Giuseppe were sitting on the couch, a glass of scotch in their hands._

"_Damon." Grayson turned his head over his shoulder, pointing in his direction. "Come, have a drink with us."_

"_No thanks, old man." Damon shook his head, smirking. "I'm driving tonight."_

"_Come on." Grayson lifted his glass at the younger man. "You can stay in the guestroom."_

"_Elena's already staying in the guestroom." Miranda came from around the corner, her eyes wide open. "So the house is full."_

"_You don't mind sleeping on the couch do you?"_

"_Thanks for the offer but I'll just drive back to the hotel."_

_Elena rolled her eyes as she saw them interact and turned to the kitchen with the dirty plates in her hands. She put them in the sink, hearing the men laugh at something that was said, Caroline shrieking as Tyler probably tickled her. She started sorting the dishes when someone came up behind her and she jumped in surprise._

"_Shh." Damon's scent hit her nose before his lips touched the skin in her neck. "It's just me."_

_She relaxed against his chest as his hands traveled down her arms and eventually slipped around her waist, his arms pulling her flush against him. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and kissed his cheek, burying her head into the crook of his neck. Her fingers ran light patterns on his arm, goose bumps appearing on his skin._

"_I miss you." He nibbled on her earlobe, his arms tightening around her. "I haven't seen you in four days."_

"_I know." She turned around in his embrace and gave him a brief kiss. "And I'm sorry, I miss you too."_

"_Did I miss blowjob week?" He waggled his eyebrows at her and pulled her waist against his. "Because I'd be devastated."_

"_What's blowjob week?"_

"_That one week a month your girlfriend suddenly has really bad migraines."_

"_That week." She nodded in understanding, a smile coming across her lips. "Sorry babe, you missed it."_

"_No." He pouted exaggeratedly, pulling the cutest face she had ever seen. "I was looking forward to it."_

"_You'll just have to wait another month." She laughed and pinched his cheek like he was a five-year-old. "But I promise I'll make it worth your while."_

"_I can't believe you just told me to wait for your period."_

"_You're the one who called it blowjob week." She straightened his collar and patted his chest. "We should go back to the living room before someone finds us."_

"_I haven't kissed you in four days." He tangled his fingers in her hair and grabbed it tightly. "You're not going anywhere before I've kissed you senseless."_

_His lips crashed down on hers, his fingers tangling in her hair, the other hand grabbing her hip, pulling her firmer against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held his head against hers, their lips connecting with rapid movements. He swallowed her moans and lifted her up to set her on the counter, his mouth never leaving hers. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer so the bulge in his pants pressed against her core._

"_Don't mind me."_

"_Daddy?" Elena pulled her lips away from Damon's and looked up with wide eyes. "Oh no, Daddy."_

"_I didn't see a thing." Grayson turned back to the door and waved his hands above his head. "And I'll ignore the fact that you were almost having sex on my kitchen counter while your husband is in the living room."_

_Elena's eyes searched for the blue ones that were staring at her, an amused expression on his face. She shook her head in disbelief and jumped off the counter to follow her father out the kitchen. Damon grabbed her arm before she could walk past him._

"_He knows."_

"_Of course he knows." She pulled her arm free out of his grasp, her teeth clenched together. "He saw your tongue trying to get to my breakfast."_

"_No, Elena." He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, shaking his head. "He knew before he saw my tongue trying to get in your stomach."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_He figured it out a while ago." Damon lifted his shoulders, his blue eyes watching her. "He didn't want me to tell you because he knew you'd freak out."_

"_Of course I'd freak out." She threw her arms in the air, her wide brown eyes staring at him. "He just caught me cheating on my husband."_

_Damon sighed defeated as she turned on her heels and sprinted out of the kitchen. She looked around the living room but couldn't find her father. After searching the whole house, she found him outside on the porch, his gaze fixed at something in the distance._

"_Daddy." She stepped onto the porch, shielding herself against the cold breeze. "I can explain."_

"_I'd love to hear that explanation."_

"_I..." She shook her head, searching for words. "I don't know what to say."_

"_Well, that wasn't much of an explanation." Grayson turned to her and smiled, shaking his head. "You don't have to explain it to me Elena, I'm not your mother."_

"_How did you figure it out?"_

"_You carry this goofy smile on your face all the time." Grayson pointed to her face and let out a hard chuckle. "And if that didn't say enough, Stefan has been complaining about all the overtime."_

"_I'm so confused." She held her palm against her forehead, shaking her head. "I love Stefan, I really do but when I'm with Damon...I don't know what I feel but it feels so good."_

"_You're young, you make mistakes." Her father came closer and cupped her face in his hands. "I'm not saying that it's right to cheat on your husband, because it isn't. But I get why you're confused."_

"_I just feel like I'm two different people." She grabbed her father's hand and intertwined their fingers. "When I'm with Stefan I feel like I'm still seventeen and when I'm with Damon, I feel like a grownup."_

"_I get it." Grayson shrugged, his gray eyes looking down at her. "Damon's beautiful, charming, smart, rich. He's powerful and he made something out of himself, it pulls you in. While Stefan still has to make something out of himself."_

"_What would you do?"_

"_Oh no." Grayson shook his head, smiling at his daughter. "I'm not going to choose for you, this is something you have to decide on your own."_

"_You know how bad I am at making decisions."_

"_I think you're becoming better at it." Grayson rubbed her cheek affectionately. "We have Damon to thank for that, the seventeen year old Elena would have been too scared to cheat on her husband."_

"_So you're telling me I should choose Damon?"_

"_I'm not telling you anything." Grayson let go of her face and put his hands in his pockets. "I'm just saying everyone likes a woman who knows what she wants."_

_Before she got the chance to answer him, Caroline's voice filled the quiet air, her screams filled with worry and agony. They exchanged a look and pushed the front door open, finding Caroline bent over her mother's body. Grayson's eyes went wide while he crouched down next to his wife who was clutching her chest._

"_It's her heart."_

"_Damon!" She looked around in the room, finding everyone but him. "Damon!"_

"_What's wrong?" Damon rushed down the stairs, his voice filled with worry. "Elena?"_

_He crouched down next to Grayson, taking Miranda's wrist between his fingers, feeling her pulse. He took the stethoscope her father handed him and listened to the older woman's heartbeat, his eyes fixed on her face. Miranda's brown eyes widened as another stab went through her heart, the pain making her scream out loud._

"_I'm going to call an ambulance."_

"_Elena, don't." Her mother gathered all her strength to look up at her. "I'll be fine in a minute, it's always like that."_

"_She's had this for months." Grayson answered Damon's questioning look. "The pain starts and after a minute or two it's gone."_

"_That the pain is gone doesn't mean the issue is gone." Damon shook his head and placed the stethoscope against Miranda's chest again. "It's not normal, her heart beats way too fast."_

"_You've had this for months?" Elena snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "That's it. I'm calling an ambulance."_

"_Elena, I'm fine."_

"_Let Damon be the judge of that." Her brown eyes searched for the blue ones, seeing a doubtful look on his face. "Damon?"_

"_Let's make a deal." Damon looked Miranda in the eyes. "I'll tell your daughter not to call an ambulance if you promise me you'll come by the hospital on Monday to run some tests."_

"_I don't want your pity because you're friends with my daughter." Miranda spat in his face, the pain clearly gone. "I'm not taking any hand-outs."_

"_If I find nothing, you can pay me." Damon held his hands in the air like he surrendered. "But if I find something, then you'll let me treat you for free, the medicines alone will probably cost a fortune if I'm right."_

"_Deal."_

"_Elena, don't call an ambulance." Damon got up from the floor and took her cell phone out of her hands. "She'll be fine tonight."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Yeah." He stroked her cheek as a comfort, not caring about who was watching them. "I'm sure."_

_She nodded and sat down next to her mother who was now sitting up straight. "Are you sure you're okay?"_

"_Don't think this is going to change my mind about him." Miranda looked at Damon and back at her. "I still don't like him."_

"I still don't like him."

"You may have mentioned that before." Elena rolled her eyes and leaned back in the wheelchair. "I still don't get how you can hate someone that saved your life more than once, but then, my name isn't Miranda Gilbert."

"Maybe because he broke my daughter's heart and I knew he was going to do it."

"Good." Elena sat up straighter, the mask now gone. "Finally we don't have to pretend that you don't know about me and Damon, don't worry Daddy already told me you knew."

"He cheated on you, didn't he?" Miranda's brown eyes looked up at her. "He cheated on you and broke your heart."

"No." She shook her head, letting out a hard laugh. "Damon wasn't the cheater, I was the one who had an affair while I was married."

"Then what did he do, Elena?" Her mother searched for her eyes. "Did you realize there was nothing more to him than good looks and Stefan was the better choice?"

"I loved Damon." She clenched her teeth together, holding back the tears that wanted to escape her eyes. "I loved him more than anything."

"Then what did he do, Elena?"

"He loved me." She wetted her lips with her tongue, looking away from her mother. "He loved me and he did everything he could to make me happy, some days I wondered if it was all a dream and I would wake up next to Stefan to realize that Damon never existed."

"Why can't you just tell me the truth?" Miranda's eyes went wide, her fists clenching the sheets. "Why do you keep beating around the bush?"

"Because it's none of your business." She spat at her mother, her brown eyes boring into the other pair. "What happened between me and Damon has nothing to do with you."

"But your father knew." Miranda shook her head at her. "You told him that you were with Damon in Chicago."

"He visited us a few times." She looked down in her lap and started fidgeting with her thumbs. "I knew he wouldn't judge me or Damon but I wanted to wait to tell you until the divorce came through."

"You were going to divorce Stefan?"

"Of course. What did you think?" She arched her eyebrow, shaking her head in confusion. "I wanted to spend my life with Damon, if I hadn't... If I hadn't gotten pregnant with Liam then I would probably be his wife by now."

"What do you mean?" Miranda's eyebrows knitted together. "You came back to Stefan."

"And the week after I came back, I bought a plane ticket back to Chicago." She looked up at her mother and smiled tightly. "My bags were packed and I had a flight for the next day, I was going back to Damon."

"What happened?"

"I found out I was pregnant." She whispered, her brown eyes welling up with tears. "And I knew Damon didn't want to be a father so I wasn't going to force that on him so he could hate me for it. But I wanted Damon's baby so much so instead of going back to Damon, I stayed here and I had his child instead."

"But you hated Liam."

"No." Her voice pitched. "I pretended hating being pregnant for Stefan's sake. I never hated that baby, I wanted him since the moment I found out I was carrying Damon's child."

"You should have known that it would never work out between the two of you." Miranda let out a hard laugh, adjusting herself in the bed. "He's ten years older than you."

"And the only one that made a big deal out of it was you." Elena averted her gaze to the wall. "I loved him and I never counted the years that were between us. I was free with him."

"You weren't free." Miranda stared into her eyes. "He trapped you into going to Chicago with him."

"Going to Chicago with Damon was my choice." Her brown eyes went wide. "Don't you understand? When I chose Damon that was the first time in my life that I really chose something for myself."

"And look where it got you." Miranda huffed, looking at the ceiling. "You almost lost Stefan and you're trying to fool everyone in believing that Liam's Stefan's son."

"I don't think anyone believes it." She clenched her teeth together. "I hear the whispers when I bring him to school, everyone saw me with Damon five years ago and they know I disappeared for three months."

"How do you live with yourself?" Miranda whispered, her voice shaky. "You cheated on your husband, you deceived your friends and family, this is not the person I raised you to be."

"I don't blame myself for anything." She looked at her mother in disgust, her voice harsh. "Yes, I should have handled things with Stefan differently but I don't blame myself for choosing Damon, it gave me Liam, it gave me a piece of myself that I didn't even know was missing."

"You're obsessed with him."

"You call it obsession, I call it madly in love."

"You'll have to carry it with you for the rest of your life." Miranda sat up straighter, trying to appear strong. "Liam will always get dirty looks because his father was a man whore."

"You can think about Damon whatever you want." Her eyes shimmered with anger, fixed on her mother. "But when the accident happened and right before I passed out, I prayed that I would see Damon again, that five years ago wouldn't be the last time that I told him I loved him."

"You still love him?"

"I never stopped."

* * *

><p>"How did you find me?"<p>

She stared at him as he came out of the theater, dressed in the green clothes, his hair messy and his eyes bloodshot. His blue eyes took in her form on the bench and she wondered in the back of her mind how it was still possible for him to make her ache with one glance at her. Her heart drummed in her chest as she took in his form, after all those years finally able to hold him again. Her body tingled in anticipation to have his skin on hers again, like the nights before, only with them connected. Her soul finally felt whole again, now the other half was finally home.

"I followed my heart."

"I see the drugs are still working." He sat down next to her with a small smile on his face. "Sober Elena would never tell me something like that."

"Almost dying might have changed that stubborn Elena." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Plus, I talked to my mom this morning, you know how emotional that makes me."

"So I get a high emotional Elena?" He smirked at her, shaking his head in amusement. "What did I do wrong to the world?"

"Well,..." Elena rested her chin on his shoulder, looking up at him. "I got a phone call from a very upset beautiful little boy."

"How upset was he?" His blue eyes focused on her, filled with worry. "I tried to call Caroline but one accident turned into two and that turned into a heart attack."

"Don't worry, I put in a good word for you." She rubbed his back affectionately, smiling softly. "He said it was going to cost you ten hugs."

"What is it with the two of you and hugging?" Damon shook his head at her, throwing his arms up. "It's like a virus."

"It's genetic." She rolled her eyes at his little outburst. "We're affectionate people."

"You're just using everyone as your personal teddy bear."

"As if you mind it when I use you as my teddy." She nuzzled his neck, chuckling softly. "Want to be my teddy bear again tonight?"

"I thought I wasn't allowed in your room tonight?"

"The bed in my room is better than the benches in the hallways." She giggled as he rolled his eyes at her, a gesture all too familiar. "Come on, Salvatore. Take me to bed."

He got up, the way he always used to do it whenever they were ready for bed. She never went without him and when he was on a night shift, she wouldn't go to sleep without him next to her, instead she slept on the couch with the light on, waiting for him to come home and take her to bed, wrap her in his arms and whisper the summary of his day into her ear.

"You'll have to carry me." She held her arms out towards him. "Some kid asked if he could borrow my wheel chair but he hasn't brought it back."

"I'm not going to carry you."

"But you love carrying me." Her face fell, her eyebrows knitting together. "You used to it all the time."

"Yes I used to carry you to the wall to have my way with you." He scoffed, shaking his head slightly. "But I'm not a mule."

"Then how am I supposed to get to my room?"

"Walk."

"I can't walk, Damon." She laughed at the irony of that. "I'm not strong enough to stay upright besides Mason told me I couldn't."

"I'm telling you that you can." He leaned against the wall opposite from her. "Walk to me."

"What if I fall?"

"Haven't I taught you anything?" He rolled his eyes like she had offended him in the most horrible way. "If you fall, you crawl back up."

She eyes him suspiciously, knowing him well enough to know that he wouldn't change his mind. With wobbly legs she tried to push herself up, using all her strength to get her bottom a few inches above the bench. She put all her effort in moving one of her legs, walking like an old lady with her head to the ground. The pain stabbed through her legs and back like they wanted to knock her down back to the ground, exactly doing that when she was in the middle, her legs giving out from under her and whole her body on the ground. She looked up, seeing the blue eyes staring at her, still waiting for her to reach him. She didn't need to ask for his help, she knew what he was going to say, he didn't tolerate weak people.

"Get up."

"I can't." Her eyes filled with tears, her voice trembling. "It hurts too much."

"Get up, Elena."

"I can't." The tears started rolling down her cheeks. "I can't stand up."

"You didn't even try."

He knew how to push her buttons, to make her stronger than she thought possible. It was what he always used to do, letting her explore her limits, only to discover that she could push them further than she ever thought possible. She had been strong with him, because she knew that at the end of the road he would be there to pick her up when he noticed that she couldn't go any further. She was strong because he had her back, he knew her better than she did and he knew how far he could push her.

"Get up."

She lifted her head up to meet his burning blue eyes. Her arms trembled as she pushed herself up on hands and knees, slowly getting up from the ground. A sense of pride washed over his face as he saw her standing up straight. She clutched her chest and kept her eyes on her goal, the blue eyes watching her every step. While she closed the distant between their bodies, the smile on her face grew wider, his eyes shimmering in pride. She held her arms out once she was only a few feet away from him and he opened his arms, catching her as she let herself fall in them.

"Good girl." He pressed a kiss against her temple, stroking her hair. "I knew you could do it."

"I won't be able to reach my room." She wiped the few tears that had escaped her eyes away. "It hurts so much."

"I know."

She gasped as he picked her up and carried her bridal-style. With a deep breath, she let her head rest against his shoulder, breathing in the scent that always managed to calm her down, make all the pain go away.

"Do you need something?" He put her down on the bed and cupped her face in his hands. "A bath, chocolate, Grey's Anatomy? Maybe a hug?"

"Can you give me my nightgown?" She kept her eyes on his as he stroked her tears away. "I'm ready to sleep with some clothes on."

"Sure." He reached behind him in the small closet and put the silk gown in her lap. "Do you need help?"

She bit her lip as his blue eyes focused on her, everything she ever wanted reflecting in that clear blue ocean. All her dreams resurfaced again as she remembered telling him about those dreams while he stared at her with those eyes. Those dreams were gone now, drowned together with the future she had seen in that ocean, killed with the waves of emotions that were washed away the day she had stepped out of his door. She had been empty since that day, a gap filling her stomach like a black hole that day after day seemed to swallow her whole being. It took him to fix it, it took the owner of her heart and the origin of the black hole to make her breath again. That's how it had been from the moment she met him, he became her lungs and air at the same time.

"Damon." The tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up at him, finding everything she ever wanted. "Why did I leave you?"

"Because you couldn't stay." The blue eyes filled with sadness. "I hurt you too much."

"Would you have taken me back?" She whispered quietly, reaching for him. "If I had come back, would you still have loved me?"

"Of course you silly." He stroked her hair out of her face. "I waited five years for you to come back."

"I don't know how I lived through the past five years without you."

"We didn't live." He pushed his forehead against hers, their noses touching. "We just existed."

"If I hadn't called Caroline to pick me up at the airport, I know I would have taken a flight back to Chicago." She held his face desperately, her lips trembling against his. "I should have screamed at you and I should have thrown things at you but I shouldn't have left you."

"It's okay." He held her hands in his, smiling at her. "We're here now. I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm so scared that one day I'll wake up and you'll be gone, back to Chicago." She held his face in her hands, their eyes connected. "I'm scared you'll leave me behind."

"No." He kissed her hand, trying to soothe her. "I'm not going anywhere without you or Liam, okay?"

"Okay."

She nodded as he kissed her forehead, blinking back the tears that threatened to leave his eyes. A small sigh escaped her as he reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, devouring her chest with his eyes. She smiled and went for his shirt, pulling the green fabric over his head to let it drop to the floor, admiring the abs that came instead. She pulled the nightgown on and shuffled back to the other side of the bed so he could lie down next to her. She closed her eyes once they lay on the covers and her head was tucked under his chin, her whole body pressed into his side.

"Mommy." A chipper voice made her eyes snap open, another pair of blue eyes staring at her. "Why is Damon naked in your bed?"

"Liam." She exchanged a confused look with Damon. "What are you doing here after visiting hours?"

"This little one has a tact for using his last name." Caroline came in the room, panting. "Apparently being named Salvatore has some privileges and he figured them all out."

"I just told the lady that she should let me in or she would get into trouble with Damon."

"Come here you." Damon picked him up from next to the bed. "You're really something, you know that?"

"I know." His young blue eyes shimmered in amusement. "So what are you doing in Mommy's bed?"

"She's using me as her teddy bear."

"My teddy bears usually have clothes on."

"I like my teddy bears better when they're naked." Elena ruffled his hair as he lay down on Damon's chest. "It makes them all warm and soft."

"You're dirty, Mommy."

"You don't know half how dirty your mommy really is." Damon smirked at her, patting his son's chest. "Do you want me to tell him about your anal fantasy?"

"Shut up."

"Liam." Caroline rolled her eyes as his parents bickered. "I think we should go back home."

"But I don't want to go." He pouted exaggerated, whimpering softly. "I want to stay here."

"I can arrange another bed." Damon exchanged a look with the two females. "He can stay here if he wants to."

"You're feeling guilty because you didn't spend the day with him." Elena rolled her eyes at him. "Otherwise you'd never agree to this."

"Just let him stay here." Damon shrugged, looking at the two women. "One night isn't going to hurt him."

"And if I get hurt," Liam looked up from Damon's chest. "We're already in the hospital."

"See?" Damon smirked, ruffling his son's hair. "That makes complete sense if you look at it from a five-year-old's perspective."

"Fine." Elena sighed defeated, falling back against the mattress. "He can stay, but only for one night."

"I'll go get another bed."

"No." Liam pushed him back down. "We all have to stay in the same bed."

"Have you looked at the size of this bed, buddy?" Damon arched his eyebrow, mocking him. "It's not even made for two persons, let alone for three."

"But we're only two and a half persons."

"My back is going to kill me in the morning." Damon plopped down against the mattress, sighing heavily. "Why do I do these things?"

"Because you're madly in love with us." Elena pecked his cheek, pointing her chin to Liam. "And he has you wrapped around his little finger."

"Two statements I can't deny." He kissed her forehead and pulled her into his side, draping his other arm over Liam's back. "Are you comfortable, buddy?"

"Yes, I like hard mattresses." Liam patted his father's six-pack. "Daddy's a soft one."

"I'm glad you like the accommodation." Damon rolled his eyes as Elena chuckled. "Goodnight Liam."

"Goodnight Damon." Liam snuggled closer into his chest, looking at his Mommy. "Goodnight Mommy."

"Goodnight my beautiful son."

She pressed her lips against his forehead and placed her head back against Damon's shoulder, making herself comfortable in the little space that was left for her. She watched the two most important males in her life as they slowly fell asleep, Damon's chin resting on top of her head, his arm locked around her to keep her against him. She snuggled closer and let herself fall into a peaceful sleep.

"Mommy." The timid voice made her eyes flutter again. "Can Damon stay forever with us?"

She looked at her little boy, his blue eyes so honest and open that she couldn't help but to feel the nagging feeling inside of her. She wanted him to know that Damon would forever be there for him, because he was a piece of him, a piece she had taken five years ago. Only to give it back to his father now.

"I think you'll have to ask him that."

"Mommy." Liam's blue eyes bored into hers, his voice sounding young, excited and scared at the same time. "Can Damon be my daddy?"

"Yeah..." She nodded and stroked his hair, keeping the tears back. "Damon's your daddy."

* * *

><p><strong>Please review! <strong>

**Follow me on Twitter for spoilers & updates: PantiesDrop_**


	14. Beat me till I'm numb

Hugs and kisses to **Lauren**, the most amazing beta any author could ask for. I'm so grateful for each an everyone of you, every review, every reader, I love you all so much. I have to apologize for the time between updates, school got in the way - my teacher has twitter, I'll gladly direct you to him - Now, please enjoy the new chapter and I hope you leave your thoughts in a review.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 14

_'Beat me till I'm numb'_

"That looks comfortable."

Her eyes snapped up and locked with the older gray ones. She put her finger to her lips and silently shook her head as she averted her gaze back to the two sleeping figures beside her. With a small smile on her lips, she watched Liam's little body go up and down on his father's chest, his childish face resting in the crook of Damon's neck. Somewhere in the middle of the night he had pulled himself up so his father's chin was now resting on his crown, his arm draped lazily over the boy's small back.

"Can you give me my phone?" She whispered quietly, pointing at her purse. "It's in the small pocket on the right."

"Who are you going to call?"

"I'm not going to call anyone, Daddy." She rolled her eyes as Grayson shook his head at her. "These days you can take pictures with your phone."

She chuckled and looked back at Liam's face as her father went searching for the phone. Her son's arms were wrapped around Damon's chest, his face more peaceful and careless than she had ever seen it. Never before had she realized how much her little boy had craved the safe comfort a father could give him, never had she realized that keeping them apart would make a hole in her son's life.

"You're still as much in love with him as you were five years ago." Grayson handed her the phone and shook his head in amusement when he found her staring at Damon. "Aren't you?"

"Everything feels right when he's here." She ran her fingers through Damon's black hair. "It feels like I can finally breathe again."

"File for divorce, Elena." Grayson shook his head at her, his gray eyes filled with wisdom. "We both know that this can't go on."

"I can't go back to him." Her eyes switched between her father's and Damon's face. "I'm pretending that Chicago never happened but it did and I can't forgive him for it."

"I already told you, sweetie," Grayson smiled slightly as Liam grumbled in his sleep. "What he did was horrible, but it's not unforgivable."

"I have someone else to think about now," Her brown doe eyes focused on Liam's sleeping form. "It's not just me anymore; I have to make decisions for the both of us."

"I think Liam will be fine with Damon."

"But what if we don't work out?" Her voice pitched. "What if in a few months we figure out that we're not made for each other?"

"Then at least you tried." Grayson shrugged indifferently, his lips pressing into a hard line. "But if you don't even try, you'll always be wondering what if."

"And if we don't make it then Liam will be exchanged like some object between his mother and father." She shook her head. "I went back to Stefan because I wanted him to have a father at all times, not just during the holidays."

"Elena, I don't know if you realize it but Damon will be in your life forever." He pointed his chin at Liam. "Liam is not just going to give him up; he's too much like Damon for that."

"You think that he won't give him up because they're so much alike?"

"No. Because just like Damon he doesn't love people easily," Grayson swallowed back the lump in his throat. "But when he does, he never lets them go again."

"Damon let me go." She looked at the man beside her. "He let me go and never came after me."

"That he let you go, doesn't mean he didn't love you anymore." Grayson cocked his head to the side, boring his gray eyes into Elena's brown ones. "Did you ever ask him how many women there were after you left?"

"Probably more than I can count."

"I think you would be surprised to know the answer." Grayson scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "You weren't the only one that got hurt."

"But he could go back to his old life while I had to carry the consequences." She smiled at Liam's cute face before looking up again. "And I can't say that I regret it but my life would have been so different if I hadn't gone with him."

"You would probably have a bunch of kids with Stefan by now."

"You're really not in a good mood today."

"Do you want me to say it Elena?" Grayson threw his hands up, his eyes going wide. "I'm team Damon, I've always been."

"I know and we've talked about it." She kept her voice down. "But I can't help it that Stefan doesn't like to drink whiskey until the middle of the night."

"It's not about that." Grayson rolled his eyes, sighing. "It's because even if he hurt you, he's still the one that can make you smile. The only thing a father wants, is to see his little girl smile."

She looked back down again, feeling Damon stir against her side. With a quick push on her phone, she snapped the picture of him and Liam, savoring the moment not only on her phone but in her heart. A smile came across her face as the blue eyes snapped open and focused on her, the same small smile on his face. With the arm that was draped around her, he pulled her closer, not aware of her father who stood only a few feet away from the bed.

"Why are you so far away?" A pout appeared on Damon's face as he looked up at her, his voice husky. "That's forbidden."

"I was hot."

"Not a surprise with two studs in your bed."

A chuckle escaped her as he pressed a kiss to Liam's forehead and studied his peaceful face. She couldn't help but to notice the stab that went through her heart. She should have seen them like this since the first night their son was born, she should have seen this on Liam's every birthday, his every big step in his young life. Instead, she had gone through those stages alone, trying to raise him with a father that would never understand her son's personality.

"Daddy?"

Her eyes snapped to her son's face as he snuggled his nose deeper into Damon's chest, trying to shield himself from the voices in the room. Her heart seemed to swell up as she heard the word daddy roll off Liam's tongue; it was something surreal, something she thought she would never get to hear.

"Good morning to you too." Damon stroked his hair and chuckled at the pout on his face. "How did you sleep?"

"Still sleepy."

"Was the mattress too soft?" Elena lay back down on her side. "Just like Stefan?"

"If he has complaints about the mattress," Damon's eyes snapped up to hers. "He can sleep on the ground next time."

"Can I stay here tonight too?" Liam's head shot up from Damon's chest, his blue eyes twinkling. "Pretty please?"

"Actually," Grayson's voice interrupted what Elena was going to answer. "He's going to need a place to stay tonight beca..."

"Good morning to you too, sneaky old guy." Damon's head snapped to the side, clearly surprised with her father's presence. "What were you saying before you magically appeared out of thin air?"

"I was saying that Liam has to stay somewhere tonight because Caroline got the flu." Grayson shook his head in amusement. "And I guess since Bonnie isn't an option to Liam, I'm the only one who is."

"No Auntie Bonnie." Liam shook his head frantically, his eyes wide open and staring at his mother. "She'll make me eat soup and vegetables without a dessert."

"How can she do that to you?" Damon asked in mock-horror.

"She's a witch." Liam snuggled into the crook of Damon's neck, ignoring his mother's laughter. "And other words, but I can't say them because then Mommy will get mad."

"You can tell me." Damon pointed to his ear and chuckled as he received a glare from Elena. "Just whisper them in my ear."

She watched them as Liam scooted higher up Damon's body so he could press his lips against Damon's ear. She would have argued if the sight hadn't broken her heart. This was everything she wanted, the two most important men in her life waking up next to her, sharing secrets that she would never be part of. And she would be okay with it because she could see the beauty of the father-son relationship they were developing, the talks that would follow once Liam got older, some subjects she would never get to hear of because it would be something between the two of them, Liam sharing conversations with his father that would be kept between the two of them. It was something she had taken away from him when she walked out the door in Chicago, not realizing that she was separating someone from his father.

"Come here you two." She tickled Liam's sides and pushed herself against Damon's body. "I feel left out."

"Ouch, Elena." Damon groaned into the room as Liam started squirming on top of him. "My back is killing me."

"You're getting old, Salvatore."

"Really?" He waggled his eyebrows at her, smirking devilish. "Just wait until you're fully healed again."

The truth that rested behind those words made her shiver. Her body started tingling as it remembered the nights it was loved by him, owned by him. Moans that turned into screams, whispers that became shaky breaths, lust that merged with need, love that rose above every other emotion.

"You shouldn't talk about fiki fiki when I'm here." Liam snapped them out of their stare. "It's not appropriate."

"Who taught you expensive words like that?" Damon shook his head at his son and let out an amused laugh. "What are we going to do with you?"

"Feed me."

"Now that's something I can agree with." Grayson picked Liam up and put him back down on the ground. "Auntie Caroline made me bring you clothes."

"Good because I'm starting to smell like Daddy." He stuck his tongue out at Damon and grabbed the clothes out of Grayson's hands. "And that's not good."

"You shouldn't talk." Damon pushed himself up on the mattress. "I smell like this because of you."

"Damon." Liam glared at him, stomping his foot. "Stop lying."

"Boys, boys." Grayson shook his head at them and placed a hand on Liam's shoulder. "Get dressed so we can have breakfast."

Elena chuckled as Liam's blue eyes shot daggers at Damon. Grayson pushed the little boy into the bathroom and closed the door behind him, leaving her and Damon behind in a comfortable silence.

"He got that from you." Damon cocked his head to the side and smirked. "The stubbornness."

"You're stubborn too." She placed her head on her arm and watched him. "He's just like you."

"No." He turned on his side and mirrored her position. "That's your kind of stubborn."

She just bit her lip to hold her laughter back and stared at him as his blue eyes bored into her brown ones. A shiver ran down her spine as he extended his hand and placed it on her neck, slowly following the path of the silver necklace that hung around it. A sigh escaped her as he came to the swell of her breasts and slowly pulled the necklace from under her nightgown, twisting the silver ring between his fingers.

"I still remember the night I gave you this." A small smile rested on his lips as he stared at the ring. "We were so happy."

"I promised you that I would never take it off." She grabbed his hand and folded hers around it. "And I never did, not even for a second."

"You should have come back." His eyes darkened in agony, his voice shaking. "I know I don't have the right to say that after what I did but you should have come back to me."

"You should have come after me."

Her eyes filled up with tears as she remembered the times she heard the doorbell, sprinting to the hallway to open the door, expecting him to be behind it, to run back into his arms and let him take her home with him, back to the life they had created, back to the life she wanted to live. The memory still hurt, and she could still feel the anger that rose up deep inside of her as she found someone else behind the door, someone that couldn't make her feel whole, someone that couldn't love her the way she wanted to be loved, a person that didn't own her heart.

"I thought I didn't have the right to come after you and beg you to take me back." He stroked her cheek, using his thumb to caress her skin. "I hurt you, I didn't have the right to get you back."

"You did." She cupped his face in her hands, holding it tightly. "You had every right to get me back, I was yours."

"I can't believe I gave up on you." He kissed the inside of her palm, shaking his head. "I'm so sorry, I should have come after you."

"It's okay." She scooted closer and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth. "I knew you would come back."

"_I knew you would come back."_

_She shook her head in amusement as she found him leaning against the door frame, his blue eyes watching her while she divided dessert over the small plates she had set out on the counter. He pushed himself upright and started walking towards her, a hunter approaching its prey. She rolled her eyes as he trapped her body between his and the counter, his arms resting next to her sides._

"_Is it that obvious that I run into the kitchen every time you do?"_

"_Kinda." She kissed him briefly and turned back to the counter, feeling him pressed against her back. "But now I can actually use you."_

"_That sounds kinky." He smiled against the skin on her neck and scratched her earlobe with his teeth. "I'm all yours."_

"_Good." She took a piece of the cake out of her plate and turned around again, holding it up. "Taste this, everyone's scared I'll give them food poisoning."_

"_Including me."_

"_Taste it." She pushed a piece of cake into his mouth, watching him chew it with a frown on his face. "Do you like it?"_

"_It's okay." He swallowed the piece of cake and leaned forward for a kiss. "But I like the taste of you better."_

"_Just tell me you love it." She placed her hand on his mouth and pushed him back. "Otherwise no taste for you."_

"_You asked me for my opinion." He threw his hands up and rolled his eyes at her. "You can't just tell me what to say."_

"_I can and I will." She held her finger on his lips, glaring at him. "Now tell me you love it."_

"_Fine, I love it."_

"_Exactly why I lov..." She stared at him as she realized she was about to say, with a small smile she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Why I like you so much."_

_He smiled softly, having heard enough to figure out what she was about to say, the hidden words between them, something they both knew but never acknowledge to one another. She was married and as long as she was married, she knew he wouldn't say anything that made her doubt her life or decisions. So instead he lowered his face to hers and let their lips collide, his arm wrapping around her shoulder, his hand caressing her thigh. She smiled into the kiss as she felt his lips vibrate against her own, the dimples she found so cute appearing on his face._

"_I like you too." He mumbled against her mouth, pushing his lips against hers over and over again. "I like you more than myself, which is something that has never happened before."_

"_I'll use that against you." She tangled her fingers into his black hair. "Starting with letting you help me carry those desserts to the living room."_

"_You should be glad I have a thing for you, you know?" His blue eyes shimmered while he looked down at her, still holding her in his embrace. "If you were any other woman, I'd have you in my bed by now without having to tolerate the whole family."_

"_I wish I was in your bed now."_

"_Go home with me tonight." He left a trail of pecks from her ear to her neck, making her moan. "Let me have my way with you."_

"_I can't, Damon." She pulled his face to hers and stroked his cheek. "I'm staying in the guestroom with my husband tonight."_

"_Come up with something." He smiled at her, his eyes shimmering in expectation. "Lie to them and come with me, it's been too long since I had you next to me."_

"_I can't just go with you, Damon." She cupped his face in her hands, shaking her head. "I'm married."_

_His eyes darkened while she felt his body stiffen in her embrace, his arms dropping next to his sides. With a short nod and a hard laugh he moved his body away from hers, turning his back on her to cut the rest of the cake into pieces. Guilt settled down in her stomach as she watched him slice the cake into pieces with hard chops. She swallowed back the lump in her throat and walked up beside him, placing her hand on his arm._

"_Damon."_

"_Don't." He shrugged her hand off and shook his head. "You're absolutely right, you're married and I'm just the man you call when you want to get away from your husband."_

"_That's not true and you know it." She looked at his face, trying to lock their eyes. "I love spending time with you but I'm married and that makes things more complicated."_

"_And it makes sure that everything has to be on your terms."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I mean that you expect me to drop everything for you when you call me." His head snapped to the side, his blue eyes locking with her brown ones. "Last week I had to reschedule an appointment with a patient because you wanted to see me. Yesterday, I had to sneak out of a meeting because you wanted to have lunch. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind doing those things but it would be nice if I got something back for it."_

"_Getting something back for it?" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't you enjoy yourself when you spend time with me?"_

"_It's not about the sex, Elena." He spoke through clenched teeth, his jaw hardening. "I'm saying it would be nice that you pick up your phone when I call you and not just ignore me. Or that you warn me when I'm going to spend a night on my own in a hotel room."_

"_So you can pick up a girl in a bar?" Her eyes went wide. "So you know that I won't catch you with someone else?"_

"_No." His blue eyes shot fire, his mouth forming a tight line. "So I don't spend my nights watching shopping channels while waiting for you to call me."_

"_You know what?" She chuckled humorless, turning to the counter. "If you want to get laid every night, fine by me, go ahead."_

"_It's not about the sex, Elena."_

"_Just make sure you don't catch any diseases." She spat at him, grabbing two plates from the counter. "Because then I'd have a lot of explaining to do to Stefan."_

_She turned on her heels, carrying the two plates to the living room. She blinked a few times to fight the tears that wanted to escape her eyes. The adrenaline was gone now, replaced by a feeling of jealousy, an ache, something she wanted to heal, not just with herself but with the one that was aching with her. Something that could only heal if she let herself heal it, if she gave them the chance to heal it._

"_Stefan." She touched his shoulder and motioned her head to a quiet corner. "Can I talk to you?"_

_He nodded softly, standing up with a smile. She shivered as he put his hand on her waist to guide her to the spot she indicated, in the back of her mind she wondered why her skin wasn't burning under his touch like it did with the other man, why her heart wasn't beating faster now his hands were finally on her._

"_Everything okay?"_

"_Yes, everything's fine." She waved him off. "It's about your dad, he's had too much to drink to drive himself home tonight, I think you should take him home after dessert."_

"_Sure." He rubbed her arms to soothe her. "Do you want me to pick you up after I dropped him off or are you coming with us?"_

"_I'm just going to stay here in the guestroom, you know a drunk me and a car don't go well together." She laughed awkwardly, shaking the nervous feeling off her. "And I think you should stay at your dad's, it's late and it's on the other side of town, it's safer that way."_

"_Okay." Stefan nodded and smiled, wrapping his arm around her. "Let's see if that dessert you made kills us."_

_She shook her head in amusement and wrapped her own arm around his waist while he guided her towards the table. She exchanged a look with Damon who was already seated there, his blue eyes turning away from her brown ones. The look made her insides hurt enough to let go of Stefan who eyed her strangely. She smiled and shrugged, the fact that she was having an affair didn't weigh on their marriage like she thought it would, instead they were happier now than they had ever been, because she was happy. There was a man who made her smile every hour of the day, made her gloat with self-confidence, his touch set her body at ease, her mind at peace. And when she went home at night to her husband, those feelings were still there, he got to see her happy, something that automatically made him happy too, that made their marriage a happy place._

"_So Damon," Miranda spoke up again once everyone was seated at the table. "Why aren't you spending Christmas with your family?"_

"_Mom." Elena rolled her eyes, her voice filled with annoyance. "Instead of questioning our guest, you should go upstairs and rest."_

"_I don't think you should tell your mom what to do," Damon's hard eyes locked onto hers. "You always do what you want."_

_Suddenly you could cut the tension in the room with a knife, Damon's hard blue eyes boring into her brown ones, everyone at the table staring at them, wondering what was going on. She heard her own heartbeat, drumming into her ears, anger rising up from somewhere deep inside of her. The way he was looking at her, sent shivers through her spine, not the good kind, the kind that made you want to pull someone's head off._

"_They still need me for the trial the next couple of days," Damon pointed his gaze at her mother, keeping a certain authority in his tone. "I'm going back to Chicago to spend New Year's Eve with my mother."_

"_What about your father?"_

"_My father isn't in the picture anymore." Damon looked back down at the table, laughing humorlessly. "Actually, I never even knew him. He walked out on my mother before I was born."_

"_And you never heard from him again?" Miranda sipped on her glass of wine. "I mean no man leaves his son behind without a reason."_

"_He did." Damon smiled tightly. "And he never gave a reason for it, not even my mother knows."_

"_Maybe Giuseppe knows." Elena stared daggers at Giuseppe, smiling smugly. "Don't you, Giuseppe?"_

"_I think you had too much wine, Elena." Giuseppe sat straighter in his seat, looking at Stefan. "I think you should take your wife home."_

"_I think you should tell your son what's going on, Giuseppe." She put the wine glass down on the table and looked back at Damon who was eying her strangely. "All of your sons."_

"_Elena, what's going on?" Grayson shook his head at her. "Why are you acting like this?"_

"_Tell him, Giuseppe." She clenched her teeth together, her eyes switching between the older man and Damon's. "Tell him why his father didn't want him."_

"_I wouldn't know what to tell him." Giuseppe swallowed back the lump in his throat, smiling slightly. "How should I know?"_

"_Elena." Damon's timid voice puller her attention to him, his blue eyes searching her face. "What's going on?"_

"_Tell him." Her voice was barely a whisper as she looked back at Giuseppe, seeing his fists clenched together on the table. "Tell him who you are."_

"_No."_

_Her head snapped back to Damon as the whisper reached her. His blue eyes were staring at Giuseppe, the older man's green eyes staring right back at him. She could see the wheels turning in his head, the understanding slowly sinking in, his mind tracing the same features in Giuseppe's face as in his, the same jawline, the same nose, the same cheekbones. She noticed him swallow once he fully understood what was going on, he finally found his father, the man that had abandoned him years ago, that knew who he was and still couldn't stand him. After years of searching, years filled with questions, years of hope, it was all years crushed by one moment._

"_You're my father."_

"_Excuse me." Giuseppe wiped his mouth and threw the napkin on the table. "I need some fresh air."_

_She watched Damon as Giuseppe stood up and started walking towards the kitchen. Damon's eyes followed him, filled with shock, all his features more innocent and surprised than she had ever seen them. His lips were slightly parted, watching the man that had given him life walk away._

"_Excuse me." Damon shook his head, getting himself out of the trance. "I just..."_

_He didn't finish his sentence but stood up and started walking the same way Giuseppe had just a few seconds before him. While her eyes followed him, they landed on the unmoving body beside her, the green eyes of her husband staring in the distance, blankly, his face showing no emotion._

"_Stefan." She shook him slightly, stroking his hair. "Are you okay?"_

"_I have a brother." He whispered quietly, staring blankly into space. "I have a brother."_

_She was about to reply when suddenly heavy voices started screaming in the kitchen, plates being broken into shards. Her father got up and ran towards the door while she got up and placed a kiss on Stefan's temple before following the sound of the angry voices._

"_What do you want me to say?" Giuseppe stood in the middle of the kitchen, yelling into Damon's face. "That I was glad to meet you at that wedding, that I couldn't believe I found you after thirty years?"_

"_Did you even look for me?" Damon's voice pitched, his blue eyes filled with so much pain that it made her heart squeeze together. "Did you even want to find me?"_

"_Of course not." Giuseppe spoke through clenched teeth. "I was young, I made a mistake, I never wanted you, I still don't want you."_

"_Then why is my name Salvatore?" Damon's eyes searched Giuseppe face. "Why do I carry your name?"_

"_Because my family taught me to take responsibility for my actions." Giuseppe crossed his arms over his chest. "But that doesn't mean I ever wanted you, it doesn't mean that I see you as my son."_

"_But I am your son." The blue eyes filled up with tears, making her own brown eyes tear up. "How could you not tell me?"_

"_Because I don't see you as my son." Giuseppe spat at Damon, his green eyes wide open. "You're nothing more than the biggest mistake of my life, you're trash, just like your mother, you'll never be enough to call yourself a Salvatore like me and Stefan."_

"_You really didn't want me."_

"_Who would want a son like you?"_

_Damon flinched back by the words, the words he had spoken himself so many times, now spoken by the person that could make them hurt the most. He always thought of himself as someone not worthy enough to love, to have a father who loves him. So when the words cut through him like a knife, his head hung low, his eyes defeated, his feet carrying him to the backdoor, leaving the man that had played such a big part in his life for thirty years without even being there._

_She watched Damon close the backdoor behind him while she walked toward Giuseppe, standing straight in front of him, her eyes locked with his, shaking her head slightly in disbelief. She let out a hard laugh as he stared at her, not the angry stare like he had with Damon, but a stare filled with questions. Her eyes welled up with tears as she saw him smirk slightly, the gesture sending a heat of anger through her body as she thought what that smirk did to the man she shared so many secrets with, how much it hurt him to know how he really thought about him._

_She didn't even think about it as she slightly pulled her arm back and launched forward, her hand touching the side of Giuseppe's face, his head snapping to the side, a red spot forming on the place where she had hit him. He turned his head back to her, his nostrils wide open, the green eyes burning with a fire she had never seen before, but knew from the blue-eyed-man that could make the same fire burn in his eyes._

"_You're an idiot." She clenched her teeth together, laughing humorlessly. "You really don't see it, do you?"_

"_See what?"_

"_He's more than you and Stefan ever will be."_

"_Elena." Giuseppe called her back as she tried to turn around. "If there was a fire, which of them would you save?"_

"_The one I love the most."_

_Giuseppe's eyes narrowed together as she exchanged a look with her father who had watched the whole spectacle silently from the side. She turned on her heels and found the backdoor, shielding herself against the cold winter air as she stepped through it and found the dark figure on the bench in the backyard._

"_Damon."_

"_Don't." He shook his head and looked at the grass between his feet. "Don't pity the guy that knew all along his father didn't want him."_

"_Don't say things like that." She sat down next to him, rubbing her own arms against the cold. "He doesn't even know you."_

"_That means I have to be really screwed-up, right?" His blue eyes focused on her, his face drowning in agony. "If he already hates me before he knows me, what does that say about me?"_

"_It doesn't say anything about you." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. "It says everything about him."_

"_All this time I thought that maybe he died after I was born," He shook his head and looked back down in the grass. "Thirty years I hoped that was the reason why I had no father."_

"_He doesn't hate you." She put her hand on his cheek and made him turn to her. "He hates himself for what he did to his wife."_

"_I said I became a surgeon because I want to find something to fix my mom." He whispered, his eyes focused on her face. "But a part of me wanted to become a surgeon so I could show my father that I made something out of myself, that I wasn't a loser but it turns out that I'm still trash."_

"_You are not trash." She eyed his broken body, the broken man in front of her, the agony that reflected in his eyes. "Come here."_

_She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into her chest, leaning her chin on top of his head, softly stroking his messy hair. The night closed around them as she heard Stefan's car pull off the driveway, the tires squealing. She looked up and saw the light of her parents' bedroom on, her mother's figure appearing in front of the window. She took a deep breath and held the man in her arm while he just stared into the yard, his fingers clawing her shirt, his breathing synchronized with hers._

"_Let's get to the hotel." She placed a kiss on top of his crown. "You don't have to be alone tonight."_

"_Now I'm this mess you want to spend the night with me." He let out a hard laugh. "I should find my father more often."_

"_I already arranged it before you turned into this hot mess." She squeezed him in her embrace, inhaling his scent. "You were right, I take you for granted."_

"_You knew he was my father." His head snapped up, breaking their embrace. "How did you know?"_

"_I'm a paralegal, it's my job to know." She stroked his black hair, smiling slightly. "But it wasn't my place to tell."_

"_It's okay." He put a piece of hair back behind her ear, watching her face with those big blue eyes. "I understand."_

"_That's a relief." She sighed and pulled him up with her, taking his hand in hers. "I was scared you wouldn't forgive me."_

"_How could I not?"_

"How could I not?" He smiled softly and shook his head slightly. "I was always supposed to come back for you."

"I'm glad you're finally here." She smiled at him, her eyes searching his face. "I don't know how much longer I'd be able to survive without you."

"You don't have to anymore." He scooted closer so she could feel his warm breath on her face. "I'm here."

"Exactly where I'm going to keep you."

"You two are so cheesy." Liam stood next to the bed, rolling his eyes at his parents. "Talking about cheese, I want it on a sandwich."

Damon rolled his eyes and turned on his back, arching his eyebrow at the little boy. Elena just chuckled as she watched Liam shift from one foot to the other, being the cute little monster he was, the smirk on his face reminding her exactly where he got the traits from.

xxx

"Liam." Damon stretched his neck to look over Elena's shoulder. "What do you want?"

"Cheese, sandwich, milk, banana."

"What?" Damon shrugged at Elena who eyed him suspiciously. "I breakfast-trained him."

"Seriously?"

"Do you know how long it takes him to just pick something out of the buffet?" He threw his arms up. "Besides, the first few days he begged me for coke, I thought you would approve."

"I do." She came closer and pecked his cheek, her eyes shimmering. "I think it's cute."

"I'm glad to see you're doing better." He draped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Did Mason say when you could go home?"

"No." She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed heavily. "I think it's going to take a couple more days, he said I need to be fully healthy."

"He's right." He placed a kiss on her temple, squeezing her waist. "Besides, in the hospital you have all these really hot doctors taking care of you, there's even one who keeps you warm at night."

"We need to talk about that," She tapped his nose, ignoring the pout on his face. "I need to ask you something."

"No, I will not wear flannel PJ's."

"I like you better without PJ's anyway." She shook her head in amusement, watching Liam and her father talk in a booth beside the window. "I want you to take Liam home."

"I can't take him to the hotel with me." He turned his head to Liam and smiled softly. "That room is not big enough for the two of us."

"You don't need to take him to the hotel." She stroked his cheek, smiling softly. "You can take him home, Stefan isn't there anyway."

"Where is he?"

"He's staying at the office, too much work." She shrugged indifferently. "And when he isn't there, he's here with me in the hospital."

"He really isn't close with Liam, is he?" Damon shook his head, biting his lip. "I mean, any other dad would take off of work to take care of his kid."

"It's not Stefan." Elena turned to him, her eyes searching for his. "Stefan loves him more than anything; it's Liam who doesn't let him in."

Damon's gaze traveled to the laughing boy a few feet away from him, the young blue eyes sparkling at something his grandfather had said. He felt Elena squeeze his fingers softly, giving him a knowing smile. He nodded and waited in line behind her, staring at her face, remembering everything that he lost five years ago.

"Can I help you?"

"_Can I help you?" The older woman approached her, pushing the cart forward. "Did you forget your key?"_

"_No." She shook her head, looking around the empty hallway of the hotel. "I didn't forget my key."_

"_Did he lock you out?" The woman pointed to the door, knowing exactly whose it was. "Men and their humor sometimes."_

"_No, he didn't lock me out either." She chuckled softly, looking down at the red carpet. "I'm just here..."_

"_Why is a pretty girl like you standing here on her own at three in the morning?"_

"_Because she's kinda lost."_

"_Is she here to find her way?"_

"_She's here because she couldn't sleep." She looked up into the woman's hazel eyes. "I haven't talked to him in days, and he's leaving tomorrow, I just couldn't let him leave before seeing him."_

_After the accident on Christmas, she went back with him, held him during the night while he couldn't catch any sleep. The morning after had been quiet, filled with a silence neither of them wanted to break. She had gone back to her husband, reassuring the man she left behind that she would call, and she did, more than once, only to be ignored every time. It had been three days since, and she gave him time to process it on his own, knowing him well enough to not run after him and scream at him to talk to her. But when she crawled into bed next to Stefan that night, knowing that there was someone sleeping alone in a cold bed, who could use her comfort more, it made her heart ache. So she snuck out of the bed in the middle of the night and drove here, standing in front of the door until it would magically open._

"_If you knock on that door, there's a pretty big chance you'll see him."_

"_He has to get up early in the morning." She shook her head and shrugged. "I don't want to wake him."_

"_Then why did you come here?"_

"_I don't know." She whispered, laughing silently. "It was silly of me."_

"_Wasn't it silly to leave your husband in the middle of the night?" The woman gave her a knowing look. "I think you know exactly why you came here."_

"_How do you know I'm married?"_

"_You're wearing a wedding ring." She cocked her head to the side and pointed it at Damon's room. "He doesn't."_

"_I..."_

"_Don't worry." The woman held her hand up. "I don't judge, after working here for thirty years I've witnessed more than one affair."_

"_And why don't you judge?"_

"_Because there are different reasons to have an affair." The woman leaned on her cart. "There are those who're searching for adventure, some are just missing something in their relationship, others are looking for attention, there are so many reasons and everyone has their own."_

"_But there's never a right reason to cheat on someone." She lifted her shoulders, biting her lip. "There's nothing that makes it okay."_

"_I think there's one reason that justifies it." The lady walked to Damon's door and pushed her key in the lock. "The reason why you're here."_

"_Why am I here?" She shook her head in confusion. "What's that reason?"_

"_Love."_

_She swallowed back the lump in her throat as the woman unlocked the door and quietly opened it so she could step it. She nodded silently and walked inside the dark room, using her phone as a pocket light. Slowly she put her purse down on the ground and removed her jacket and clothes, keeping only her panties on. With her heart beating frantically in her chest, she lifted the covers up and slowly moved under them, turning on her side behind Damon's body. He stirred as she draped her arm over his waist and pressed her chest against his back, placing a kiss on the back of his neck._

"_Elena?"_

"_Shh..." She took his hand in hers and squeezed his fingers. "Go back to sleep."_

"_Why are you here?"_

"_Because I wanted to be here." She tightened her grip on him, snuggling into his body. "I just... I couldn't let you leave without seeing you."_

"_I'm sorry for dodging your calls." He stroked her hand with his thumb, moving in circles. "I needed some time after everything."_

"_I know." She whispered into his ear, kissing his cheek. "It's okay, I understand."_

"_He really doesn't want to know me." He shook his head, scoffing. "I tried calling him, I went by his house, I even emailed him, he doesn't want to talk to me."_

"_He doesn't know what he's missing out on."_

"_You just say that because I rock your world."_

"_It's been a while since you did that, Salvatore." She stroked his black hair back, shaking her head in amusement. "I don't think that's the reason."_

"_Oh no?" He turned around in her embrace, finding her body in the dark. "Then maybe I should remind you."_

"_That's not why I came here tonight." She wrapped herself in his embrace, placing her head against his chest. "I just want to be with you before you leave for two weeks."_

"_I'm going to talk to my mom about Giuseppe." He inhaled her scent and relaxed against her body. "I want to know everything."_

"_Damon, while we're on the subject of parents." She stroked his cheek, chewing on her bottom lip. "How did it go with my mom?"_

"_I can't tell you that, Elena." He rubbed her back, shaking his head. "That's confidential, she's my patient."_

"_But can you at least tell me if it was good or bad?"_

"_No, I'm sorry." He pecked her lips lightly. "I can't talk about it."_

"_Okay." She sighed defeated, falling back into his arms. "I'll just talk to my dad."_

"_You could just talk to your mom."_

"_We have a... strained relationship."_

"_I've noticed that." He chuckled softly, tugging her under his chin. "I just hope the relationship with my mother will still stand after the whole Giuseppe thing."_

"_It will." She placed a kiss on his chest. "You and your mother have the most amazing bond I've ever seen."_

"_I'm jealous of what you have with your dad, you know?" He hid his face in the crook of her neck. "Whole my life I've been pretending I was fine with not having a dad, but the truth is that I missed it."_

"_I'm pretty sure mine would adopt you if you asked him." She pulled his head up, kissing his lips. "He loves you."_

"_I satisfy his daughter." He chuckled against her lips. "God knows how you act when you're sexually frustrated."_

"_I suggest you keep me satisfied or you'll find out soon enough." She bit his bottom lip playfully, moaning into his touch. "You make his daughter happy, that's the main reason he likes you so much."_

"_I still think it's because I let him near the desserts."_

"_Don't get me started on that."_

"Don't get me started on that." Grayson came walking next to the row. "No, Liam."

"Please." Liam walked behind him, holding his hands together like he was praying. "Please ask him."

"Ask who what?" Damon arched his eyebrow at him.

"He wants me to ask you if he can have an apple instead of a banana." Grayson rolled his eyes at Damon. "He swears you'll rip his head off if he changes his mind again."

"I won't rip your head off." Damon smirked at Liam, squeezing the boy's shoulder. "That's not my style, I'd just cut your heart out, they even gave me a degree for that."

"Really?" Liam came from behind Grayson's legs and stepped in front of Damon. "Now, I really want to be a heart doctor."

"You want to be a heart surgeon?" Damon picked him up from the ground, handing him the apple. "Why's that?"

"So I can fix Granny." Liam bit down in the apple, chewing fiercely. "And when I'm big, I'll be like you, only younger and smarter and I'll kick your ass."

"You know what?" Damon pinched his cheek and shook his head at him. "Study hard, get through med school and I'll teach you everything I know so you can kick everyone's ass."

"Really?" Liam's young blue eyes shimmered, a smile appearing on his face. "Do you pinky promise?"

"I pinky promise." Damon extended his pink to the boy. "But only if you pinky promise me that you"ll work for it."

"I promise." Liam shook his finger and wrapped his arms around Damon's neck. "You're the best daddy ever."

"Only because I have the best son."

Elena stared at the two of them, seeing them so comfortable with each other, like they had been doing this for years, like they had been together from birth. It was something that made her heart swell, the love that lingered there letting her know that it was exactly that sight it wanted to see, those words it wanted to hear, those persons it wanted to love.

"I think your mommy is getting tired." Damon rubbed Liam's back and lowered him to the ground. "Why don't you take her to our seat and tell her what happened in Grey's Anatomy last night?"

"Mommy," he grabbed Elena's hand and started dragging her to their seat. "Meredith was bad again."

"I still don't get why she lets him watch it." He shook his head at Grayson who stood still beside him. "Sometimes it's even too explicit for me."

"She knows how to handle him." Grayson laughed, patting his shoulder. "She knew how to handle you, I think she used those tactics to become the best mother she could for Liam."

"It's not fair to the kids out there," He smiled as Liam started waving at him, Elena chuckling at something he told her. "They should all have a mom like her."

"That's not what Mother Nature wanted." Grayson shook his head sadly, waving back at Liam and Elena. "She has accepted it though, Liam will always be her only child."

"What are you talking about?"

"She didn't tell you?" Grayson's eyes snapped up, looking at him questioningly. "About what happened two years ago?"

"What happened two years ago?"

"She had a miscarriage."

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>

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	15. Be my bad boy, be my man

Can't thank Lauren enough for being the most awesome beta the world has ever known. I can't thank you enough for being the most awesome readers and reviewers. Here's a new chapter for you, I hope you enjoy it.

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><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 15

_'Be my bad boy, be my man'_

"Daddy, I see boobies."

Damon shook his head as he noticed Liam stand in front of a room where a mother was breastfeeding her newborn. He felt the stab in his heart as he watched the new mother sing to the baby in her arms, his mind already picturing Elena like that. He had to turn his eyes away from the sight when he realized that she not only had that once, but almost twice.

"Come on, detective Boobie." He picked Liam up from the ground and carried him in his arms. "There's nothing special about boobs, believe me."

"What is wrong with you?" Liam arched his eyebrow at him and placed his small hand on his forehead. "Are you sick?"

"No." He pulled his head away from Liam's hand. "I'm just saying that if you want to talk like a grownup, then you should know breasts aren't that impressive as some men make them out to be."

"Are you mad at me?" His son's big blue eyes became duller as he stared at him. "I won't talk about boobies anymore, I'm sorry Daddy."

"I'm not mad at you, Liam." Damon squeezed his waist and tapped his nose. "I just have a lot of things on my mind, I shouldn't have said that."

"You didn't say anything during breakfast." Liam wrapped his arms around his neck. "Are you sad?"

"Nothing that a hug from my favorite five-year-old can't solve."

"Is that me?" Liam pointed to himself, a grin spreading across his face, his blue eyes shimmering. "You're lucky I'm one of the best huggers in town."

Damon chuckled while Liam wrapped his small arms back around his neck and squeezed him tightly, his face resting in the crook of his neck. For someone who had never wanted to be a father, it was a weird feeling to want to hold your child at all times, to make sure he was safe and protected in your arms, shielded from the bad world. He never had an example of a father that loved his child, he had no one to show him how to love your kid the right way, so whenever he had to step up like a father and act like one, he couldn't help but to wonder if he did it like he was supposed to.

"Mommy is standing up again." Liam pulled his head back, looking at Elena and Grayson who walked in front of them. "She's a tough bitch."

"Watch your language, mister." Damon glared at him, shaking his head in disapproval. "But you're right, your mommy is a strong woman."

"When is she coming home?"

"She has to stay in the hospital for a couple more days." His gaze switched between Liam's wondering eyes and Elena's back. "But I'll stay with you until your mommy comes home, how does that sound?"

"Can we watch porn?"

"No."

"You're not as cool as I thought."

"Let's go find your mommy." Damon rolled his eyes at him. "I have to talk to her before I take you home."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you'll be okay with him?"<p>

"We'll be fine."

His blue eyes followed her as she walked around the room, stronger than she had been less than twenty-four hours ago. Her silky brown hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, her brown doe eyes searching the room, her tiny body always moving to the small suitcase on the bed.

"Bedtime is at eight, he has to go back to school next week and I want him back in the routine." She zipped the suitcase up and pointed her brown eyes back at him. "Make sure he brushes his teeth, eats his breakfast and dinner and don't give him any soda after six or you'll never be able to get him to sleep."

"Okay." Damon moved forward and grabbed the suitcase from the bed. "Anything else I should know?"

"Caroline told me he's been having nightmares since the accident," She bit her lip and shook her head sadly. "Usually when he has a nightmare I sleep with him or I let him sleep between Stefan and me, but I don't know how bad it is now."

"I'll find a way to deal with it."

He noticed her brown eyes lock onto his, filled with worry. It was hard for him to look at her; she was still that innocent girl in his eyes, the twenty-year-old he had come to know and love. But she was a mother now, she carried the biggest responsibility anyone could carry, she became the mother of his son, the woman he'd be forever bound to. It tortured him to know she almost bound herself to someone else in the same way.

"Is everything okay?" Her big brown eyes searched his face. "You were quiet during breakfast."

"I'm fine."

"Damon." She grabbed his arm as he was about to turn away. "You're not. Just tell me what's going on."

"We were always honest with each other, right?"

"I like to think so." She bit her lip, lifting her shoulders. "But we both know that it wasn't alwa..."

"But besides that." His blue eyes snapped back to hers. "We told each other everything, right?"

"Yeah, we did."

"Then why didn't I know about the miscarriage?"

He watched her eyes widen, her lips parting in a small O, the color draining from her face. She used to tell him everything, every little red spot on her body, every blank spot in her mind; he knew it all. He thought it'd be something that would never change, that even if there was five years between their reunion, she would still be an open book to him, her mind, memories and thoughts would still be there for him to read.

"It was two years ago." She stumbled backwards to the bed and sat down on it. "You weren't here."

"But why haven't you told me?" He arched his eyebrow at her. "I've been here for almost two months, we've talked about everything that happened the past five years."

"It's not something you share over cookies and coffee." She looked down in her lap, taking a deep breath. "I'm not ready to talk about it."

"Was it Stefan's?"

"Does it matter?" Her hard eyes snapped to his. "That baby is gone, I lost it."

"What happened?"

"One day I was pregnant, the next I wasn't." She swallowed back the lump in her throat, her breathing shaky. "There wasn't a reason or something that caused it, I just had a miscarriage."

"How far along were you?"

"I was almost in my second trimester." She shrugged as he sat down next to her. "I wanted to keep it quiet until I was three months but of course Stefan was so excited that he told everyone."

"So when you lost the baby, everyone was fussing about it?"

She nodded slowly, her lips moving up in a small smile. He had always known what she wanted and didn't want. When she was in pain, she couldn't stand a whole crowd of people around her; she needed space, a lot of it. It was something he always managed to give her, he knew when he shouldn't be around and she appreciated him for it, they understood each other on a level no one would ever get.

"I was in the hospital and I never got any time for myself." She let out a shaky breath, her eyes filling up. "Stefan was always there, holding my hand and telling me we could try again, he tried to reassure me but I just wanted..."

"You just wanted to go home and curl up on the couch with a bowl of cereals." He smiled softly, tugging a strand of hair back behind her ear. "I know."

"I just wanted you." She whispered softly, her teary eyes looking up at him. "I just wanted to be on that comfy couch of yours in Chicago in your arms, I'd have your arms around me and I would be okay."

"Did you even want that baby?" He stroked her cheek, his thumb rubbing circles. "You never wanted to be a mom before you turned twenty-five."

"I had Liam before I was twenty-five." She smiled softly, resting her cheek against his palm. "And he was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"That was different." His blue eyes bored into her brown ones. "Liam was an accident, he was a good accident but we didn't plan on him."

"Stefan and I didn't plan on that baby either." She looked away from him, biting her lip. "I didn't want another child, but then I got pregnant and Stefan was so happy about it, happier than I had seen him in years. I couldn't take that from him after everything he did for me."

"So you gave him what you took from him the day you left him." He shook his head sadly. "He always wanted kids, from the moment you two got married."

"I took that from him too." Her eyes teared up again, her voice shaky. "I could carry your baby but I lost his."

"You feel guilty."

"Don't you understand?" She clenched her teeth. "When I was pregnant with Liam I walked on roses, I can count the times I suffered from morning sickness on one hand. With Stefan's baby I was sick all day, I couldn't take care of Liam because I had no energy. I couldn't even take him to school, everything about that baby felt wrong so in my mind I started thinking the same thing."

"It's not your fault, Elena." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "A lot of women have miscarriages."

"But does it take them two years to get pregnant again?" Her voice pitched, her eyes looking for his. "We've been trying for the past two years and I can't get pregnant, we even visited two specialists, they say there's nothing wrong with neither of us."

"It happens, Elena."

"It bothers you doesn't it?" She noticed the way his head hung low. "It bothers you that I tried to move on."

"It bothers me that you tried to move on but still wanted me there." He shook his head, his eyebrows knitting together. "You can't tell me that you wanted to be on my couch, in my arms after you had a miscarriage from your husband."

"You have a very comfy couch."

"_You have a very comfy couch."_

_He rolled his eyes as he watched his friend since childhood plop down on his big leather couch. His mother watched with hawk eyes as he spilled some of the champagne he was holding on the carpet._

"_You'd think the hangover from New Year's Eve would scare him away from the alcohol." His mother came to stand next to him and took a towel in her hands._

"_You should know by now that nothing scares Ric away from alcohol." He chuckled softly and rolled his blue eyes. "That's exactly why we always have New Year's dinner two days after New Year, so he can sober up."_

"_I invented that rule for you, you know?" Lauren glared at him, smacking his arm. "You were always so hungover that we had to have dinner without you."_

"_Did I ever tell you that you're the best mom a hungover guy could ask for?"_

"_You might have mentioned that before, but it's always nice to hear it again."_

_She chuckled as he pecked her cheek and got some foam on her nose, her blue eyes lit up as she swatted him and removed the foam off her face. He couldn't help but to laugh at the pout that appeared on her face. His mother was the type that still felt as young as the day she turned sixteen, she said it was the only way to keep up with him. And in some way she had always stayed on the same line with him, he didn't rebel in his teen years because he didn't have a strict parent to rebel against, instead he got the most understanding and loving mother any guy could ask for._

"_That's probably Christine." Lauren turned around to the hallway as she heard the doorbell. "Alaric, make yourself useful and let the lady in."_

"_Yes, Madame."_

_Alaric got up from the couch and ran into the hallway. He opened the door and shook his head as he found a young girl waiting on the other side. Her brown hair draped around her face as a curtain, her brown doe eyes staring at him like he was a Christmas present. Over her shoulder hung a brown bag, her pink lips parted as she stared at him in wonder._

"_I'm pretty hungover." Alaric leaned against the door, his arms crossed over his chest. "But I'm sure you're not Christine."_

"_I'm sorry, I must have the wrong apartment." She looked down on the small white paper in her hand and bit her lip. "I'm looking for Damon Salvatore."_

"_He knocked you up, didn't he?" Alaric sighed desperately. "The boy will never learn."_

"_Excuse me?" Her voice pitched, her eyes looking frantically around her. "My name is Elena Gilbert, I used to work with Damon on the case in Mystic Falls."_

"_I'm just messing with you." Alaric rolled his caramel eyes at her. "Come on in, Damon and Lauren are in the kitchen."_

_She eyed him suspiciously as he moved out of the way to let her in. She stood in the middle of the hallway, waiting for him to point her in the right direction. Her eyes detected the white walls, white ceilings and black floors, everything in a modern design. Alaric walked past her again and motioned for her to follow; she adjusted her bag on her shoulder and quietly walked after him._

"_Christine's looking good today."_

_She turned around the corner and let her eyes linger over the spacious white loft, design furniture everywhere, a modern oak kitchen in the back but still the center of the whole room. She smiled as she saw Damon work on the stove, his back towards her, a chubby brunette in the beginning of her fifties watching him._

_Her heart started beating louder in her chest, her eyes lingering on the muscles in his body. She celebrated New Year's Eve with her parents and friends, only to realize at midnight that there was someone missing, that there was someone she wanted to take in her arms and start the new year with. It only became clear to her what the nagging feeling in her chest was when she saw Caroline and Tyler look at each other, a look of complete devotion across their faces, their eyes locked and staring at each other, utterly in love._

"_Hi Chris - " Damon's blue eyes locked on hers, his lips parting slightly as he noticed her standing in the middle of his living room. "Elena."_

"_Hi."_

"_What are you doing here?"_

"_I'm sorry for barging in..." She looked around and noticed Alaric and his mother staring at them with curious gazes. "You're right, I shouldn't be here, you have a dinner party and I just walked in here uninvited, I'm sorry for interrupting."_

_She turned on her heels and started walking back to the hallway, her eyes filling up with tears. She almost got to the front door when a strong hand closed around her arm and pulled her back, his body trapping hers, her back pressed against the wall. She looked up to find those ocean blue eyes staring at her, shimmering down in her brown ones. He looked at her for five seconds before his lips crashed down on hers, hungry, desperately, possessively moving over her mouth. She let her bag drop to the ground and buried her hands in his hair, pulling him as close as physically possible. He picked her up from the floor so she could wrap her legs around his waist and hold him firmer against her own body._

"_I missed you." She whispered between kisses, her shaky breath making her voice tremble. "So much."_

"_I can't believe you're here." He rested his forehead against hers, his hand cupping her cheek. "Why are you here?"_

"_Because two weeks is too long."_

"_I've only been away for four days."_

"_And I was miserable." A pout appeared on her face. "I don't want to feel like that for another ten days."_

"_How long can you stay?" His blue eyes searched her face, his lips pressing against hers. "Won't Stefan suspect something?"_

"_I told him I had to be in Washington for a case I'm working on." She tangled her fingers in his black raven hair. "So if you're okay with it then I'm staying for a week."_

"_I'm more than okay with it."_

"_Damon Liam Salvatore." Lauren's voice echoed through the loft. "Dump the girl or bring her here, the food is going to burn."_

"_Maybe you should feed her before you introduce me to her." She chuckled softly against his lips. "She sounds hungry."_

"_Don't worry." He tapped her nose, smirking. "She's a vegetarian."_

"_What if she doesn't like me?"_

"_Have you ever met someone who doesn't like you?" He put his finger on her mouth as she was about to speak. "Besides Giuseppe."_

"_That's not fair." She punched his chest, chuckling. "He was going to be my argument."_

"_Well, then now your argument's invalid." He took her hand in his squeezed it softly. "Come on, meet the people I call my loved ones."_

_She smiled at him and started walking after him, bumping into him when he suddenly turned around and focused his blue eyes on hers again. She looked up at him with a confused expression and watched him as he lowered his head to hers and claimed her lips once again, this time softly, tasting the inside of her mouth._

"_You're mine, right?" His blue eyes locked on her brown ones. "For this week, you're mine?"_

"_I'm yours."_

_She didn't stop him as he took her hand in his and slowly took her wedding ring between his fingers, gently tugging it from her hand. She just watched him and nodded as he put it in his jeans pocket, his eyes staying locked with hers._

"_Now you're really mine."_

"_Come on," She kissed the inside of his palm, smiling at him. "Let's go meet your family."_

_She followed his lead and walked back into the spacious living room. Her eyes were met with another pair of blue ones, the same kind of blue ones that were plastered in Damon's face. A warm smile spread across the woman's face as she came closer and looked up at Damon._

"_Mom." Damon cleared his throat and pointed to Elena. "This is Elena, Elena this is my mother Lauren."_

"_We talked before on the phone, didn't we?" Lauren wrapped her arms around Elena's shoulders, squeezing her tightly. "How's your husband doing?"_

_She stiffened in Lauren's embrace, her eyes glancing towards Damon who exchanged a look with Alaric. He smiled softly as his eyes locked back onto hers, an expression filled with sorrow across his face._

"_He's doing good." She pulled back from Lauren's embrace and smiled. "He's trying to write his book so I thought I'd visit Damon."_

"_You must have had a long flight." Lauren glanced to Damon and back to Alaric. "Alaric, give this girl something to drink, Christine should be here any minute."_

"_She only has to go up the stairs and still she manages to be late." Alaric rolled his eyes, noticing her questioning look. "Christine is Damon's neighbor, her husband died in the war in Iraq. She has a three-month-old to look after, I guess that little monster is making her late again."_

_Damon watched Elena nod as Alaric started rambling, a warm feeling spreading across his body until his mother latched onto his arm and pulled him into a corner, her blue eyes filled with a fire he knew all too well._

"_What do you think you're doing?"_

"_Standing here."_

"_Don't give me that smartass attitude." Lauren pushed her finger into his chest. "Don't you think I don't see what's going on between the two of you, she's married Damon."_

"_I know that." His blue eyes went wide. "I practically walked her to the altar, but she's young and I think she's realizing that she made a mistake."_

"_I can see that she's young." Lauren's eyes scanned over Elena's body. "Is she even old enough to drive?"_

"_You're exaggerating." He rolled his eyes at her, receiving a glare. "She's more mature than most girls her age."_

"_Is she allowed to drink?"_

"_Well..." He smirked dangerously, pouting his lips together. "I'm sure she has a fake ID somewhere."_

"_Oh god. You've got to be kidding me." Lauren turned away from him, holding the back of her hand against her forehead. "Where's the whiskey?"_

"_What?"_

"What?" His blue eyes snapped to hers. "Don't do this Elena, I'm serious. Not only your feelings are on the line here. Don't turn this into a joke."

"Do you have any idea how confused I am?" She buried her head in her hands, shaking from side to side. "I learned how to accept my life and then you just walk back in here after five years."

"I can't believe this is happening again." He pushed himself up and started pacing through the room. "Where did all my hard work go? Where is the strong Elena that left me five years ago?"

"You don't get it, do you?" She threw her hands up in the air, her eyes wide open. "It's not just about us, it's about Liam and Stefan too. I have a son with him for Christ's sake."

"No." His blue eyes stared at her. "You have a son with me."

"Liam might call you Daddy and use you as his pillow but that doesn't make you his father." She clenched her teeth together, her fists gripping the sheets beneath her. "Stefan raised him, Liam still sees him as his real father."

"Because you didn't give me the chance to be a father." He swallowed back the lump in his throat, blinking his eyes. "You just left and never wrote me or called me to tell me that I had a son."

"You didn't want to be a father, you made that crystal clear from the start." She stood up straight in front of him, her arms flying around the room. "What would you've done if I had told you?"

"I don't know."

"I know what you'd have done." Her eyes welled up with tears again. "You'd have told me to choose. You and an abortion or a baby and no you."

It had been the one thing they never agreed on, she wanted a family with children, he wanted a career. She always thought his career was an excuse, he was scared to turn out like Giuseppe, to hate his child the same way Giuseppe hated him. So when she chose to go with him, she left the dream of a family behind her, with a silent promise to herself that maybe one day he would be ready to be a father, and if that day never came, she'd be fine with it because she had him. But the day she found out she was carrying his child, that dream quickly rose to the surface again, the need to protect that child grew above anything else.

"I chose our baby, Damon."

"You chose our baby but you kept him for yourself." The fire in his blue eyes burned again. "If I hadn't come back, would you have told me about him, would there ever be a time you'd tell me that I'm a father?"

"I don't know, Damon." She buried her hands in her hair, holding it in a knot. "People change, it's been five years, if you're still that man-whore then I don't want you anywhere near him; he needs people around him who are stable, not someone who uses women like toys."

"You really think that's what I've been doing the past five years, isn't it?" He let out a hard laugh, shaking his head. "You think I slept with whole Chicago all over again."

"Didn't you?" Her eyes searched for his, her breathing shaky. "You were single again, you could sleep with anyone you wanted."

"I haven't touched another woman in five years." He grabbed her hand, placing it on the skin in his neck. "You were the last woman that touched me."

The knowledge was enough to make her tear up all over again. Sex had never been the same for her after him, it had been unsatisfying, leaving her always craving for more, but never with her husband, with a man that knew her body better than she did, who had a body that had been made for hers, fitting perfectly in every curve of her. Everything of her had been craving for him, her mind for his presence, her body for his touch, her soul for its half, her heart for its love. She walked out the door and slammed it shut behind her but that didn't mean that she ever really left him. She was still there with him, in the white loft, their home, the place where they had been free, where she still was in her dreams, in the back of her mind, every second of the day.

"Damon."

It was the only thing she could whisper as his blue eyes came closer to hers, his face slowly sinking to hers. Her heart started beating more frantically in her chest, her breathing shaky, her lip quivering against his, their noses touching, their foreheads pressed together. A gasp escaped her once his lips pressed against hers; the feeling of his warm lips still the same after all those years. And as his lips moved over hers, hers fingers tangled in his black raven hair, their bodies pushed against each other to make them one, the memories came back to her, the night she first tasted him like this, the fabric of her white wedding dress floating around them, the images of their children rushing through her mind, the feeling of his skin forever burned on hers.

He pulled the band out of her hair so it cascaded down her back like a brown curtain, his arms wrapped around her back, pressing her breasts into his chest, her mouth claiming his as her own. She still remembered them, how hungry they always were for each other, how no touch was ever enough, how they didn't leave each other's side. Once she had sworn that she would never let anything come between them; that never anyone would take him away from her because she wouldn't survive the separation. A life without him seemed pointless, there was no reason to live it, and the only thing that had gotten her through the last five years was his son in her arms, the child that bound them forever.

"Choose."

He breathed against her lips, her eyes slowly opening, finding his blue eyes staring into hers, shimmering, burning like she remembered them. His black raven hair was tousled, messy from her fingers that had weaved their path through it. He untangled their bodies and slowly pulled away, leaving a kiss on her forehead, ignoring her big brown eyes that were staring at him, her parted lips waiting until her voice could produce a sound.

"It's me or him."

He pulled away from her touch, letting her arms fall limp beside her, her skin tingling in anticipation, her body wanting more. She watched him as he grabbed his jacket from the chair and the suitcase from the bed, not even looking at her while he pulled the door open and strode through it. Just like she had done five years ago.

* * *

><p>"I'm winning."<p>

"You little troll." Damon opened the backside of the controller. "I invented that trick."

"Uncle Ty never notices it." Liam looked up at him with his big blue eyes. "He thinks I'm better than him, which I am, but it's easier to win without the batteries."

"I believe it is."

Damon rolled his eyes and plopped down on the couch behind them, turning the sound of the roaming engines on the television down. His eyes followed Liam as he went over to the coffee table and grabbed the coke; he chuckled as Liam started shuffling towards him with the cup and coke in his arms. Damon reached for the bottle and took it out of his arms. He opened it and was met with a fountain of the sticky soda, the coke spilling on him and Liam.

"My cup would have been better." Liam held his arms up, looking over his coke-stained shirt. "Now I'm all sticky."

"You need a shower anyway."

He got up, scooping Liam up from the ground and into his arms. He walked up the stairs and into the bathroom, putting Liam down in front of the shower. He turned the shower on and searched for towels in the cabinet, turning around to Liam's questioning gaze.

"What's wrong?" Damon eyed him suspiciously. "Get out of those clothes."

"Are you coming with me into the shower?" Liam looked up at him, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "Because Daddy never showers with me."

"If you don't want me to shower with you then I'll wait until you're done."

"I don't mind." He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on the side. "But Daddy says I can't shower with him because he's big and I'm small."

"Your mom once told me that Stefan isn't that big." Damon rolled his eyes, smirking dangerously. "You don't have to believe everything he says."

"So I can still shower with Mommy?" His hopeful voice made Damon smile. "Because she doesn't mind but Daddy doesn't want me to go in the shower with her because I'm a boy."

"I think everyone has to decide that for their own." He crouched down in front of Liam, ruffling his hair. "But one day, if you're lucky enough, you'll have a body like mine and when you get older, a lot of things are going to change, so when you have questions or you just want to talk about it, then I don't want you to think that it's wrong because it's not."

"So I won't stay chubby like this?"

"Who calls you chubby?"

"Auntie Care." His face lit up with a grin. "She says it's cute."

"Of course she does." Damon rolled his eyes, shaking his head in amusement. "But you won't be this small chubby thing forever, you'll grow up and become a man and that's something you shouldn't be ashamed of."

"But I'll still be little for a few years, right?" His blue eyes searched Damon's face. "Because I like being little."

"I think you'll be fine for a couple more years." Damon chuckled softly and pushed the glass shower doors open. "Go in, I'll be right behind you."

Liam hopped into the shower while he stood up and started discarding his clothes, leaving them next to Liam's. He grabbed the shampoo from the shelf and pushed the doors open, finding Liam sitting on the ground with his hair covered in foam.

"What happened to you?"

"Auntie Caroline made me go to the gym with her yesterday." His pink lips formed a pout. "My legs feel like jelly."

"_My legs feel like jelly."_

"_That means I did a good job."_

"_Make sure you're up for the great finale."_

"_Little Damon's always up for it."_

"_I think little Damon suffers from ADHD."_

_She moaned as he left a trail of kisses from her shoulder over her neck to her ear, her skin tingling under his soft lips and warm breath. He nibbled gently on her earlobe while his finger kept gently thrusting inside of her, inch for inch squirming further into her._

"_I wish my finger suffered from ADHD." He chuckled against her lips, placing a kiss on them. "He's sore from being in your ass for the last fifteen minutes."_

"_Use more lube." She stroked his messy black hair, kissing his forehead. "Where's the vibrator?"_

"_I must say I was pleasantly surprised when you told me about your anal fantasy." He waggled his eyebrows at her, adding more lube on her body. "Not that you hear me complaining."_

"_It was as much as a surprise to me that you had never done this before either." She moaned as he put his finger back inside of her. "With your reputation as a man-whore and all..."_

"_Why is the vibrator blue?" He arched his eyebrow at the blue object in his hand. "I took you for the pink kind of girl."_

"_I just bought it a few months ago, okay?" She shrugged indifferently, punching his chest. "Believe it or not but I'm incredibly horny when you're not around."_

"_Isn't that why you have a husband?" He hovered above her, nibbling on her bottom lip. "To keep you busy when I'm not there?"_

_She turned her head away from him, turning away from his mouth that was claiming hers. The guilt rushing through her with the speed of a bazooka. She felt things for this man that she had never felt before, that her husband couldn't make her feel, but that didn't mean that she wasn't still bound to somebody else, that her heart wasn't supposed to feel this way towards a man that was not her husband._

"_I bought a blue one because it makes me think of you, okay?" She swallowed back the lump in her throat, her eyes hardening. "I have a vibrator that makes me think of you and I have a bunch of pictures of you on my phone, does that make you happy?"_

"_Hey." He stroked her hair back, his blue eyes boring into hers. "I'm glad you're here."_

"_I'm glad I'm here."_

_She tugged him down and kissed him softly, feeling the tip of the vibrator push against her opening. She gasped into his mouth as he slowly let it slip inside, waiting for her muscles to relax around the first inch of the object._

"_You okay?"_

"_Yeah." She let her hands travel over his back, feeling his muscles beneath her palms. "It only hurts a bit."_

"_Just relax." He took her lips between his and pushed a bit further into her, making her moan. "Good girl."_

"_Oh god."_

"_Is that a good oh god or a bad oh god?"_

"_Good." She breathed against his lips, reaching up to kiss him. "Keep going."_

_Her eyes rolled back in her head as he closed his mouth around her clit and started sucking, his lips making plopping sounds against her swollen button. She buried her fingers into his hair as he kept thrusting the vibrator into her tiny hole, making it large enough for his throbbing member._

"_God." Her back arched, her fingers clawing his hair. "I want you inside of me."_

_He smiled smugly and sucked one last time on her clit before pecking a trail over her stomach, gently biting her nipple with his white teeth and licking his way up to her neck, his warm breath making shivers run down her spine._

_He sat up straight, lifting her legs over his shoulders, pulling her hips closer to him, the vibrator long forgotten. Their eyes locked as he settled himself in front of her opening, his blue eyes searching for the silent agreement._

"_Just relax."_

"_I trust you."_

_Her brown eyes bored into his blue ones as she spoke the words, her hand searching for his, squeezing it tightly as a reassurance. He smiled softly and gently pushed the tip of his hard member against her ass, slipping inside of her at a painfully slow pace. She gasped as the tip of him entered her, the pain quickly forgotten when he started rubbing her clit, making quick circles with his thumb._

_Sex for them wasn't just the physical part; it was sharing each other's bodies and pleasing the other until they were completely satisfied in mind and in body. She wanted him like this every minute of the day, naked on top of her, inside of her, so she could claim him as hers for those minutes she got him like that, so she got to claim him in a way that other people couldn't. In the back of her mind she figured it was the same for him, he wanted her to be his, to claim her in a way Stefan had lost her a long time ago._

"_You okay?" He leaned forward, slipping slowly further inside of her. "Tell me to stop when it hurts."_

"_I'm fine." She bit her lip, staring into his blue eyes. "How does it feel for you?"_

"_Tight and warm." He got a thoughtful expression on his face, pouting his lips. "Like a vacuum."_

"_A vacuum?"_

"_Don't ask." He rolled his eyes and shook his head at her. "I was twelve and experimenting, no judging."_

"_Don't make me laugh." She punched his chest, flinching. "It hurts."_

"_I didn't tell you to laugh." He pecked her cheek, chuckling softly against her skin. "I was just sharing my secrets with you."_

"_Since we're sharing..." She smiled smugly, rubbing his back. "Tell me about your first time."_

"_My first time was with the high school slut." He placed kisses on her cheek, making her moan. "Her name was Katherine Pierce and she was in the same class as me."_

"_Did you like her?"_

"_No but she had a thing for me." He smirked devilishly, his blue eyes shimmering. "She was easy and I was horny, it was a perfect match."_

"_So you just used her for sex?" She shook her head at him, grabbing his waist. "Didn't she deserve a bit more respect?"_

"_We dated for a while." He leaned on his elbow, looking up at her. "And then we became a bit more."_

"_How did that turn out?"_

"_Let's just say that she was the biggest mistake of my life." He swallowed back the lump in his throat, kissing her cheek. "I had to meet you to realize I never loved her."_

"_Damon..."_

"_I know." He pushed himself back up, placing her legs back on his shoulders. "You're married and I can't say things like that."_

_She looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the same pain as his, the heartbreak lingering under the surface, the need and want to be with each other all day long. It was something that had become more clear to her once he left to spend New Year with his mother, she couldn't miss him, the thought of him being away from her made her cringe, that's why she came after him, to hold him in her arms and wake up next to him every morning. And now she was here in the cold Chicago with him, kept warm by his body, it became all the more clear to her that she didn't want to leave the white loft, that it had become a home to her that was filled with so many more emotions than the home she shared with her husband. And if she was honest with herself, she never wanted to go back to the place where she wore a ring around her finger._

_She clung to him as he started thrusting, making her long fantasized naughty dream come true. She dug her nails into his shoulders as he drove them to the edge, his thumb rubbing her clit fiercely. It was something she didn't dare to tell Stefan about, the fantasies that went through her mind, the things she wanted to try with their bodies melting together, and with that same thought, she realized that she never wanted to share them with him, that she didn't trust him enough with her body to let him use it like this._

"_Damon." His name rolled off her lips. "I'm almost there."_

_Her world shattered into a million pieces as she fell over the edge and dragged him with her, their __bodies falling against the white sheets, her legs still secured around him. He removed the condom from his member and threw it in the waste bin next to the bed, his breathing shaky, his tired eyes staring at her._

"_It's the same for me." She stroked his messy hair back, kissing his forehead. "I might be married but I feel the same way about you."_

"_Why did you marry him Elena?" He shook his head at her, his eyes filled with agony. "Things would be so much easier if you hadn't."_

"_Because I had to meet you before I realized I never really loved him."_

_His eyes softened, a smile tugging on his lips, he leaned forward and kissed her slowly, tasting her properly. It occurred more and more these days that these small gestures happened, he would walk up behind her and hug her, kiss her neck, just because he felt like it. She had started noticing the same things, she would just grab his hand and hold it because she felt better with his skin against hers, her fingers would tangle in his dark locks while he lay in her lap, enjoying the night with just the two of them._

"_Caroline once told me that having anal sex is the deepest connection you can have with someone."_

"_I will never understand that woman."_

"I will never understand that woman." He sighed exaggeratedly, rolling his eyes. "Who takes a five-year-old to the gym?"

"Auntie Care."

"The one and only."

"Daddy?" Liam's big blue eyes looked up at him. "Why didn't I meet you before?"

"It's kinda complicated." Damon sighed and sat down next to Liam, feeling the beads of water fall against his skin. "I did something really bad to your mommy and she got mad at me."

"What did you do?"

"I lied to her." He swallowed back the lump in his throat, turning away from the young blue eyes. "I lied about something really important."

"Did you tell her you're sorry?" Liam rubbed a few drops of water out of his eyes. "Mommy says everyone deserves a second chance."

"She might forgive me but I think she'll never be able to forget how much it hurt." He bit his lip and took a deep breath. "Your mommy was my best friend and we had a rule that said we wouldn't lie to each other; when I broke that rule, I broke the most important thing in our friendship."

"I think Mommy misses you."

"Why's that?"

"Because sometimes when she sleeps with me, she whispers Damon." Liam's blue eyes filled with sorrow for his mother. "And she says she loves you; that means she misses you right?"

"I think she misses the time she spent with me."

"Damon, will you promise me something?" Liam's voice pitched, blue eyes locking with blue. "Don't lie to Mommy again; she's happy now you're here."

"Pinky promise."

* * *

><p>"I'm thirty-five, I'm an adult, it's time to figure it out."<p>

"Could you figure it out with your own underwear?"

"You're very protective of your underwear." Damon arched his eyebrow at the boy, smirking slightly. "That's such a girly thing."

"I love girls."

He rolled his eyes and frowned as he read the buttons on the laundry machine one by one, the manual in his hands. Liam sat next to him on the floor, a blanket wrapped around his small frame, his chestnut hair still damp from the shower.

"What are we going to do now?"

"Life lesson," Damon grabbed his phone and pressed one. "Always have your mom on speed dial."

He got up, leaving a confused Liam behind in front of the laundry machine and started pacing in the small room, waiting for his mother to pick up the phone, with the third ring he heard the familiar voice on the other side of the line.

"Do you want me to bail you out?" Lauren sighed into the phone. "Fine, give me your bank account number and I'll make it happen."

"Mom." He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, moaning her name. "I'm not in trouble."

"Well, that's a welcome change."

"How are you doing?" He glanced towards Liam, finding him in the same spot he left him. "It seems like you're still breathing."

"I told you I wouldn't die before you got your family back." Lauren clacked her tongue. "So how's that coming along?"

"Do you remember how I always told you that I didn't want to be a Dad?"

"Yeah.."

"I changed my mind."

"So you finally figured out that you'd be a wonderful Dad?" She chuckled quietly. "It took you long enough."

"I told Elena to choose." He lifted his shoulders, shaking his head. "I can't do this anymore, I can't be on the sideline and watch my son call someone else Daddy."

"Bring her home." Lauren breathed into the phone. "You've been miserable for five years, it's time to man up and beg her on your bare knees."

"Mystic Falls is her home." He shrugged, his voice trembling. "I can't ask her to drop everything and come with me."

"Her home is with you."

"Speaking about homes." He rolled his eyes at the uncomfortable subject. "I don't know how to use a laundry machine and I need to wash Liam's clothes."

"For God's sake Damon." Lauren growled in annoyance. "You're thirty-five, you can figure it out."

"That exactly what I thought you would say." He pressed his lips together, glancing over at Liam. "Bye mom, see you soon."

"When you come back to Chicago, bring my grandson with you."

"I'll try."

"Liam." He put the phone back in his pocket and watched Liam's head snap up. "Come on buddy, it's time for bed."

"It's only eight." Liam got up from the ground, dragging the blanket with him. "Bedtime's at nine."

"Nice try." He scooped him up in his arms and started walking towards the stairs. "But I had specific orders from your mommy to get you in bed by eight."

"Can I sleep with you?" Liam's big blue eyes bored into his. "Because I have bad dreams and they scare me."

"Yeah...your mommy told me." He placed a kiss on the boy's forehead. "You can sleep with me tonight."

He carried him up the stairs and into the guest bedroom, Liam snuggled under the covers as soon as he put him down on the bed. He pulled his shirt off and crawled under the covers, taking Liam's small body into his arms.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too."

He watched Liam's eyes flutter and fall shut, the tiny body sleeping in his strong arms. It was a weird feeling to finally have your son with you after five years of guessing what it would be like, five years of trying to fool yourself into believing that you couldn't be a father.

"I loved you ever since I knew she was carrying you."

He placed a kiss on top of Liam's head and closed his eyes ready to fall asleep. His phone started ringing once he almost got into the world of unconscious. He slowly pulled away from Liam and turned around, grabbing the phone from the night table.

"Hello?"

"Damon?"

Her shaky voice came through the phone, her cries making his heart ache. After all the times he held her while she cried, he still couldn't bear the thought of her in pain, of her suffering. He was the one that was supposed to be hurting, he hurt her, destroyed their future.

"Elena." He sat up straight in the bed. "What's wrong?"

"I want to come home."

"You'll be home soon." He whispered soothingly, trying to calm her down. "Mason said he'd release you in three days."

"No."

She started sobbing into the phone, his heart breaking into a million pieces while their son lay quietly asleep next to him. He waited for her to speak as she struggled to catch her breath. But when she finally spoke, they were the words he had always wanted to hear, the ones he got up for in the morning, to hear them after five years of waiting.

"I want to come home to you."

* * *

><p><strong>Please review!<strong>

**Follow me on Twitter for spoilers & updates: QueenOfDelena**


	16. Never let me go

I'm sorry about the wait. Thank you Lauren for being the most awesome beta on this planet.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 16

'Never let me go'

"_You have big ears."_

_Her laughter filled the bedroom as he cocked his head to the side and glared at her, his blue eyes daring her to say more. She bit her lip and stared at him, still in awe of his beauty. Her brown eyes traveled over his body that was stretched out on the bed beside her, his hands tucked under his head, elbows resting on the pillow, his abs on display, the white sheet draped over his hip. They had woken up like this for the past four days and it still seemed like a dream to her; waking up to his blue eyes, whispering good morning into his ear, having lazy morning sex until noon or spending the whole day in bed just losing themselves in each other's bodies. She discovered sides of him that she never knew existed, she discovered sides of herself she didn't know were there, it made so many more emotions come to the surface, it made her doubt her marriage so much more._

"_It's a good thing, you know?" She pushed herself up on her elbow, chuckling softly at the way he was still glaring at her. "It means you're not as perfect as I thought; your perfection can be intimidating sometimes."_

"_Do you always talk this much in the morning?" He grabbed the pillow from behind his head and covered his face with it. "It's annoying."_

"_You weren't bothered by my talking the past few days."_

"_That's because I knew how to shut you up." He threw his arms over the pillow, turning away from her. "But I'm too exhausted to do it now."_

"_You are totally worn-out after last night." She scooted closer against his back and threw her arm over his waist, pecking his neck. "My poor thirty-year-old sex god."_

"_At least I still lived the 80's." He pushed the pillow aside. "Those were the good years."_

"_Does it bother you?" She placed her chin on his shoulder, looking down at his face. "That I'm so much younger than you?"_

"_You'll never hear any guy complain about having a younger girl."_

"_But do you notice it?"_

"_Sometimes." He turned around on his back, looking up at her. "I notice it but that doesn't mean it bothers me."_

"_I like it that you're older." She leaned on her elbow next to him, stroking his black raven hair back. "You've seen the world and you know so much about life, it makes me feel safe."_

"_I can show you the world, you know?" He whispered, his blue eyes filled with emotions. "Just tell __me where you want to go and we'll go there."_

"_Right now," She pecked his lips softly, smiling at his serious face. "I just want to go to the grocery store because we're out of chocolate."_

"_But you haven't said a proper good morning yet."_

"_Good morning Doctor Salvatore."_

"_Good morning Miss Gilbert."_

_She kissed the pout off his lips and slowly slid her leg over his waist, her knee resting against his hipbone. He moaned softly into her mouth as she pressed her lips firmer against his, the movements of her pink lips becoming more demanding. She pulled away to catch her breath and started pecking his chin, leaving a trail of kisses all the way up to his ear. A chuckle escaped her as she bit his earlobe softly, taking his whole ear into her mouth._

"_You're drooling on my ear."_

"_It's to prove that your ear isn't that big." She kissed his cheek, smiling widely. "It fits into my mouth & my dentist always tells me I have a small mouth."_

"_That's an insult for little Damon." He tapped her nose, his blue eyes narrowing. "He fits in your mouth too."_

"_Did I hurt his feelings?" She pecked his lips, her hand traveling over his abs. "He didn't seem to be upset with me this morning."_

"_He was having a great time with you this morning."_

"_With me and my mouth."_

"_Exactly."_

_She couldn't help but to smile at the goofy grin on his face, her lips softly pecking his, her legs entangling with his. These little signs of affection came more and more these days, him holding her hand on the street, her feet in his lap while he was working on his desk and she just watched him, quick kisses between dinner, dinners in restaurants. All those things possible in a city a thousand miles away from her husband._

"_Thank you for last night." She nibbled on his chin, looking up at him. "That was a really good restaurant."_

"_Just like I told you." He secured his arms behind her back, pushing his nose against hers. "I liked the dessert best though."_

"_It's because I'm so yummy."_

_His chest vibrated beneath her as a short laugh from him filled the room, his blue eyes shimmering __in amusement. Those laughs appeared more and more every day she spent with him, she was the one to put them there and that fact made her happy and sad at the same time. Because once she left those laughs would disappear again and they would go back to the motel room where they were locked up in a town where they weren't free. They would hide themselves between four walls, in each other's bodies, run into each other's arms whenever she could get away from her husband. And the longer she was here in this loft with him, in a city where they were free to go wherever they wanted, the more she realized how much she wanted this life with him, how just the sex wasn't enough anymore._

_Sex had never been something she craved until she met him, she only participated because it pleased her husband and she wanted to be a good wife. But then he came into her life and he did things to her body she never dreamed of, it became her who dragged him to bed every chance she got. But now, when she lived with him, shared his life and daily-life the sex alone wasn't enough anymore, the secret meetings cut her deeper and deeper. Because she slowly started realizing that she wanted the comfort of his arms, she wanted to lose herself in his touch, she wanted to come home to him._

"_That's your phone." Damon reached next to him on the night table. "Probably Stefan again."_

"_Ignore it."_

"_He'll just keep on calling." Damon pushed the phone against her ear. "He always keeps on calling until you answer."_

_With a sigh she took the phone from him and rolled off his body, watching the blue shimmer fade away in his eyes. This was how it went every morning and night; they were having a blast, her phone would ring and she would talk to Stefan for a few minutes only to discover then that the man behind her had disappeared or that the good mood he had been in was replaced with another one that kept her at arm's length. Even now when she sat up and turned her bare back to him, she could feel him slipping away, the laugh off his face, his head turned away from her._

"_Elena's phone."_

"_Hi you." Stefan's voice came through the phone, the sound filling the dead silent room. "I'm just calling to tell you that I love you, that I miss you and that I hope you'll be back soon."_

"_I'll be back in three days." She glanced over her shoulder, finding Damon looking up at the ceiling. "How's everything going there?"_

"_Everything's fine." Stefan chuckled softly. "I ran into Caroline this morning, she had no idea you had a case in Washington but I told her it was all very sudden."_

"_Yeah..." She shook her head, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "I didn't have the time to tell her about the case."_

"_Are you alright?"_

"_I'm fine."_

"_If it's about what we discussed last night..." Stefan's voice trailed off. "Don't worry about it; we'll talk about it when you get home."_

"_It just took me by surprise." She smiled tightly. "It's all very sudden and quick, we're still so young."_

"_We're married Elena." Stefan laughed into the phone. "It's only normal once you get married."_

"_Of course." She bit her lip, glancing over her shoulder again. "I have to get back to work."_

"_Okay." Stefan whispered into the phone. "I love you, be safe and I'll call you tonight."_

"_Bye."_

_An uncomfortable silence filled the room as she placed the phone back on the night table, her eyes scanning over Damon's unmoving body, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his back pressed into the mattress, the white sheet still draped over his waist. She didn't dare to say a word and lay silently beside him, staring at the wooden patterns in the ceiling. It took a few minutes before she gathered the courage to extend her hand and grab his, her thumb caressing his, her heart grateful that he didn't pull away from her touch. She cocked her head to the side and watched his chest go up and down, his eyelashes blinking every few seconds._

"_He wants to start a family." She whispered softly, watching his reaction. "He wants us to get pregnant."_

"_What do you want?"_

"_I don't know." She turned her head back to the ceiling. "I know I want children but I don't think I want them now."_

"_Then why don't you tell him that?"_

"_I'm his wife." She squeezed his fingers between hers, shaking her head. "I'm supposed to give him children."_

"_Welcome in the twenty-first century, Elena." He let out a hard laugh, pulling his hand out of hers. "Women have a say these days."_

"_That's not the way I was raised." She pushed herself up, looking down at him. "A woman has to stand behind her husband and she has to love him and take care of him."_

"_It's not because your mother raised you to be a saint that it's the right way to live or that you actually have to be one."_

"_If I lived the way my mother taught me then I wouldn't be in your bed or then I wouldn't have lied to my husband and taken a flight here to spend the week with you."_

"_That's exactly the funniest part of this whole week." He let out a humorless laugh and got up from the bed. "You're spending the week with me but you're discussing children with your husband."_

"_It's not like that."_

"_No?" His blue eyes went wide, staring at her. "Then what is it like?"_

"_I don't know." She got up from the bed, grabbing his shirt from the chair. "I don't know what I'm doing with you or what I 'm doing with him; I just know that it's not right to keep on doing it."_

"_Then stop doing it."_

"_It's not that easy."_

_She slowly slid her arms into the sleeves of his shirt, buttoning it up with his eyes on her, following her fingers down to the last button. That blue fire burning her skin made her tingle on the inside again, reminding her how just a look from him made her heart swell. She loved him, would do anything to feel like this every second of the day, she was happy, happier than she had ever been. Yet, some part of her was scared, it was so afraid of what she felt for him that she couldn't run into his arms and tell him exactly how she felt, it was so overwhelming and deep that it made her run in the other direction, into the arms of a man that was safe to love because he was as afraid to lose her love as she was to lose Damon's._

"_I don't want kids." His blue eyes locked on hers, his voice breaking the silence. "I never wanted any."_

"_You owe the world kids with your genes." She tried to lighten the mood by giving him a small smile. "And Lauren will be nagging for grandchildren until you give them to her."_

_Whenever he was working during the day or the night, Lauren kept her company, taught her how to cook, showed her around town. The woman had become like her own mother, taking her under her wings in the big city where she didn't know anyone besides the man she fell in love with. It became clear to her that Lauren's only purpose in life was to protect and love her son in a way she had never seen any mother do. She watched over him like a hawk, but that didn't mean that she had her claws into him; on the contrary, she seemed to know how to let him loose better than her own mother had ever known._

"_She knows how I think about it." He turned his back to her, zipping up his black jeans. "She just hasn't gotten used to the idea yet."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Why not what?"_

"_Why no kids?" She threw her arms up, sighing. "It's not like you can't afford them."_

"_And the reason why I can afford them is exactly why I don't want them." He walked out of the bedroom into the kitchen. "I'm not going to give up my career to change diapers and be up all night because the baby isn't in the mood to sleep."_

"_What if you meet someone who wants kids?" She stomped after him, her eyes wide open. "What if you fall in love with her and you can't imagine your life without her but she wants to have kids?"_

"_If I can't imagine my life without her than I hope she feels the same way about me," He turned around, his blue eyes boring into hers. "And she'll understand and respect my decision."_

"_What if she gets pregnant by accident?"_

"_Do you really think I'd let that happen?" He arched his eyebrow at her, shaking his head in disbelief. "I'd have a vasectomy."_

"_What?" Her eyes popped out of her head. "You'd have an operation just so you're sure you'll never have children?"_

"_I've seen too many couples get pregnant without wanting to," He shrugged indifferently. "It would be easier for me and it would be easier for her."_

"_So you're saying that you wouldn't trust her even if she's on the pill?"_

"_I'm not saying that I wouldn't trust her," His blue eyes went wide. "I'm saying that birth control isn't always reliable."_

"_You fuck me without a condom." She whispered quietly, her eyes dropping to the floor. "What if I get pregnant?"_

"_I don't know, sweetie." He cupped her face in his hands, making her look up at him. "I guess I trust you enough to not get pregnant."_

_She averted her eyes from his, pulling her head out of his hands, her brown eyes going to the floor, the pain ripping through her stomach like a sharp knife. Ever since she was a little girl, she imagined herself as a mom, her children playing in the backyard while she was nursing their little brother or sister on the porch. Her husband would come home, peck her cheek and run into the yard to play with their children. It was all perfect in her mind, creating a new life, the ultimate bond between husband and wife, being a mom, protecting that part of yourself that you love more than anything else, giving the happiness of living to another tiny human being._

"_I want kids." Her teary brown eyes found his again, her voice barely audible. "I always wanted to be a mom."_

"_Then I guess you'll just have to go back to your husband."_

_A tear rolled over her cheek as he turned around and walked past her into the bedroom. She took a deep breath, the images of their lovemaking from the night before flashing through her mind, his smile in the restaurant, their hands intertwined, his blue eyes shimmering as she told him stories about high school. Everything about it felt so different than at home with her husband, her dreams seemed to be different ones here, her goals seemed to change, her personality opened a lot more layers. The ringing of her phone made her jump slightly, her eyes focusing on the lit screen on the table._

"_Hello?"_

"_Elena!" Caroline's voice made her cringe. "Where are you?"_

"_I'm..." She shook her head, looking for words. "I'm just not at home."_

"_Stefan told me you're in Washington for a case." Caroline's tone was accusing. "But we don't have any cases in Washington, I checked it Elena, double checked it."_

"_Did you tell Stefan anything?"_

"_No, of course not." Caroline sighed into the telephone. "If you ran away you must have had a good reason but I'm worried, where are you?"_

"_I didn't really run away, Caroline." She shrugged, another tear escaping her eye. "It's more like I followed someone."_

"_Elena, where are you?"_

"_I'm in Chicago."_

"_Why would you b...?" Caroline stop mid-sentence, gasping. "NO.. NO.. NO. Tell me you are not with Damon."_

"_I am with Damon." She sobbed into the phone, her eyes glancing nervously to the bedroom door. "I followed him here."_

"_Why would you do that?"_

"_Because I'm madly, head over heels in love with him."_

"_Elena..."_

"_Don't, Caroline."_

_She knew the speech she would get to hear, that the man she fell in love with was a womanizer, treated women like toys, that her heart wasn't safe around him. She didn't need Caroline to tell her that her heart wasn't safe around him, he had already stolen it, squirmed his way in and claimed it as his own, effectively pushing her husband out of his way to possess all of her._

"_I just don't want you to get hurt." Caroline whispered in the phone. "And what about Stefan?"_

"_I don't know, Caroline." She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I just know that what I feel for Damon isn't the way you're supposed to feel for someone when you're married to someone else."_

"_When are you coming back?" Caroline's voice was filled with worry. "You can't just disappear and leave Stefan behind thinking that you're on a business trip."_

"_In three days." She placed her palm against her forehead. "But I don't know what I'm going to tell him."_

"_I'll pick you up at the airport and we're going to talk about this." Caroline let out a humorless laugh. "I just can't believe this, I mean I always thought that you would be the one who'd never do something like this."_

"_I didn't plan on falling in love with him." She wiped the tears out of her eyes. "It happened before I could stop it, I didn't even see it coming."_

"_Try to figure it out, Elena." Caroline must have thrown her arms up in the air. "We'll talk about this when you get back, this is serious."_

"_Don't you think I know that?"_

"_We just..." Caroline's earrings rang in the phone. "We'll figure it out when you get back."_

"_Okay." She swallowed back the lump in her throat. "I'll see you at the airport, I'll text you when I've landed."_

"_I'll see you then."_

_Once Caroline disconnected the call, she threw her phone back on the table, wiping the tears out of her eyes. She took a deep breath, her eyes glancing at the closed bedroom door. Her feet started moving by themselves, her hand finding the handle, slowly pushing it down so the bedroom door opened. With a last sigh she pushed it further open and was met by the empty room. She nervously looked through the door of the en-suite bathroom, hearing the shower on, the steam filling the room. A pang shot through her heart at the knowledge of him having his first shower alone since she stepped into his loft._

_Her heart drummed in her chest as she walked through the open door, finding his silhouette behind the frosted glass, the beats of water falling down on him, his hands weaving a path through his hair, foam running down his abs. She pushed herself up on the bathroom unit and watched his form move in the shower until he turned it off, pushing the glass door open, grabbing a towel from the rack on the wall, his blue eyes briefly glancing at her before he started to dry himself. Her eyes were fixed on him as the black towel moved over every inch of his body, his eyes looking everywhere but at her._

_She ignored the way her stomach squeezed together as he walked towards the sink next to her and started brushing his teeth, ignoring her completely. Her brown eyes traveled over his body, from his damp hair to the towel that hung around his hips, her body tingling in anticipation. The attraction between them sizzled in the air, he didn't even have to look at her for it to be present, it was something that was just there, trying to persuade their bodies to collide every second of the day, their souls only at peace when they were together, screaming when that other part of them stepped out the door. He was her drug, she was an addict, high on him, high on the emotions he was able to let her live through. His love for her being the most addicting drug she had ever tasted._

_And he did love her. She was sure of it. Any other girl would have been left behind in some motel room the second he got bored of her, but she was still here. He took the time to fight with her, took her to restaurants, spent every single second of his free time in her arms, kissing her senseless, attending to her every need, loving her so much that it became the only thing she really craved._

"_Here's your ring." His blue eyes were fixed on hers as he held the golden wedding ring up. "Your husband is going to ask questions if you don't bring it back with you."_

_A whirlwind of emotions went through her as she stared at the golden band in his hand. It felt like that little golden ring was a cage, the cage that held her captive in her own body and mind, that locked her dreams on the outside so she couldn't live them. She had heard more than once the story of someone who went through divorce, their finger still aching to have that ring around their finger. With her it seemed to have the opposite effect, the fact that the ring wasn't around her finger anymore made her free, made her free to love someone else, made her choices her own again._

"_No." She closed his hand, his long fingers covering the ring. "I don't want it back."_

"_I thought you were going back to your husband."_

"_That was your idea." Her doe eyes locked on his blue ones. "I don't want to go back to my husband."_

"_What about kids?" His blue eyes bored into her brown ones. "I'm not going to change my mind."_

"_You'll just have to let me babysit a lot." She smiled tightly, blinking the tears back. "And I'm going to spoil those kids rotten so you'll just have to get used to being called Uncle Damon."_

_She inhaled deeply as he leaned forward and buried his face in the crook of her neck, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, pressing him tightly against her, his hands resting on her thighs. Her lips pressed quick kisses against his temple while he kissed her neck, his hands moving over her skin. Her arms only wrapped tighter around him as he wrapped her in his embrace and just held on to her, their breathing the only sound in the room._

"_I have to leave for work." He mumbled against her shoulder, snuggling deeper into her. "My shift starts in half an hour."_

"_Yeah..." She placed another kiss on his damp hair. "I'm going shopping with your mom; she's going to redecorate her living room."_

"_Great." He growled, making her smile. "Which means I'll get to carry boxes to the attic the whole weekend."_

"_She might have mentioned telling you to do that."_

"_I'm sure she did." He pulled back with a sigh, focusing his eyes on her face. "I have to go."_

"_I wanted to ask you something." Her eyes started to shimmer, her hands cupping his face. "Can I paint a wall red? Your apartment is so white."_

"_No."_

"_Green?"_

"_No."_

"_Orange?"_

"_I hate orange."_

"_Purple?" She bit her bottom lip as she noticed his annoyed glare. "No?"_

"_No." He shook his head, an amused smile playing on his lips. "I'm getting out of here before you want to dye my hair."_

"_Damon?" She stopped him as he tried to step through the bathroom door. "Are there any other things I should know about you?"_

"_You still have a lot to learn."_

"You still have a lot to learn."

"But my teacher says I'm the smartest boy in my class." Liam's blue eyes lit up. "And she's really smart."

"I don't think you're smart enough to assist me in theater, buddy." He ruffled the chestnut hair. "Maybe in twenty years."

"How many fingers, Daddy?"

"All of your fingers and toes."

"I don't count on my toes."

"Maybe you should learn that before you get into a theater with me." He held the little boy's shoulder once they stepped out of the elevator. "It would get you a lot further."

A smile came across his face as Liam's lips started to form a small pout, the same one Elena sometimes carried. He always thought he would never get to see this, detect his own character traits in another human being that was a part of him or notice the same facial expressions on a young boy's face. He still couldn't get his head wrapped around the whole parenthood thing and knowing if he was doing it right was the biggest question of all.

"I need you to do me a favor, okay?" He crouched down in front of Liam, looking around the hospital hallways. "I want you to stay here with the nurses for a few minutes while I talk to your mommy."

"But I want to see Mommy." The pout on his young face became even bigger. "Pretty please?"

"You'll get to see her." He squeezed Liam's shoulder. "I just have to talk to her for five minutes."

"Okay."

"This is Mirna." He pointed his chin to the young nurse behind the counter. "She's going to stay with you for a few minutes."

"Hi, Liam." Mirna crouched down in front of him, her brown eyes shimmering. "Do you want to help me out here?"

Damon mouthed a quick thank you at the brunette as she led Liam behind the counter and helped him up on a chair. He averted his eyes back to the white hall in front of him, approaching the door on the right with trembling hands. He had never felt any emotion so vicious as the ones that were running through his body right now, not a single one that was stronger than the other, all of them called to the surface by the few words she had spoken to him last night.

With a sigh he put his hand on the handle and pushed it down, slowly opening the door until the room was completely visible. His blue eyes fell on the girl on the side, eagerly taking her clothes from the closet and carefully placing them in the suitcase on the bed. She didn't even notice him as she was folding her pants and t-shirts so they all fitted into the suitcase in front of her. Her brown eyes were focused on her work, her white teeth occasionally biting on her bottom lip, her high ponytail that held the silk brown locks swayed with her every movement. He printed her peaceful face into his mind, knowing it would probably be the last time he saw it.

"I thought you were supposed to stay for another three days."

Her brown eyes snapped up and locked with his blue ones, the peaceful expression faded from her face. He felt the pang that shot through his heart, the brown eyes staring at him, filled with betrayal, disappointment, hate.

"And I thought a phone was used to have a conversation." Her hard eyes snapped to his face. "But apparently you just use it to say hello and hang up again."

"You think I want to have a conversation like that on the phone?" He stepped inside the room, closing the door behind him. "That's a conversation that would change my life, your life, Liam's life."

"And you just hung up on me!"

"Maybe because I wasn't sure if it was you or the meds talking." He grabbed the chart from the end of her bed and started reading. "If it was you talking than we need to have a long conversation about this and we need to have it face to face."

"Aren't you even going to apologize?" She stared at him in disbelief. "I told you I wanted to be with you and you hung up on me."

"If I apologized you'd make an even bigger drama out of it." He shrugged indifferently. "So let's move past this and get to the actual subject."

"There's nothing to discuss anymore." She threw her shirts in the suitcase, shaking her head. "Last night I wanted to discuss that subject, now I know that it was wrong of me to want to discuss it in the first place."

"Good." He threw his arms up, walking further into the room. "I wouldn't want to spend my life with the nagging insecure bitch you've become anyway."

She stood nailed to the ground once the words were spoken, the realization slowly sinking in. She had been weak when she met him, only to become a strong independent woman under his influence. He gave her the courage to stand up for herself, to chase her dreams and stop fearing what other people thought about her. It had been one of the big differences in the relationship she had with him as opposed to the one she had with her husband; they were equals. They were both as strong as the other, they fought, they discussed, they loved with the same strength, with both of them being on the same level as the other. That disappeared again once she left him, because she was broken apart, she didn't have him to support her anymore, to guide her and tell her that she should make her own decisions. Instead she became that weak person again, the one she used to hate so much, the one she feared of becoming again the day she left him.

"You know I was proud of you the day you walked out on me?" He stared out of the window, watching the skyline of the quiet town. "Because you didn't need me anymore to make a decision, you just packed your bag and slammed the door in my face."

"That I walked out on you made you proud?"

"You left Stefan because I had your back." His blue eyes snapped to her brown ones. "You knew there was someone to fall back on, but with me you did it all by yourself and I made you become that strong woman that left me that day and that's what made me proud."

"I'm still that woman." She crossed her arms over her chest, looking up at him. "You just came back here and started messing with my head and that's why you don't get to see it."

"No, you became weak again." He let the words roll off his tongue. "You came back here and that husband of yours managed to squeeze you right into that vulnerable position again. And the only reason why you had the guts last night to call me was because for a moment you were that strong woman again and you could make decisions on your own again."

"I booked a ticket for Chicago the week after I left you." She blurted out, her eyes pointed at his face. "But I didn't get on that plane because I figured out I was pregnant, so don't tell me that I'm not strong because I stayed away from you because I knew you didn't want to be a father. You never even bought a ticket to Mystic Falls to come after me because you're the coward."

He had once bought a ticket back to Mystic Falls, she didn't remember and at some level he didn't want her to because that night was the one that had kept him going during the past years. He had held her in his arms again, stroked her hair, kissed her skin, whispered soothing words in her ear, loved her the way only he could love her. He came back for her, only to leave her again twelve hours later, realizing he wasn't yet ready to give her everything she wanted. But that didn't mean that he didn't leave something of him behind.

"Why only after a week?" He softened his tone, looking straight into her brown orbs. "Why not sooner?"

"It was my revenge." She pressed her lips tightly together. "I thought you'd come after me but then you didn't and I saw that week as my revenge for hurting me."

"You know what my revenge was?" He arched his eyebrow at her, a small smile playing on his lips. "I painted that damn green wall white again."

"You still weren't over that green wall?"

"I hated that wall." His eyebrows frowned together. "I just let you paint that damn wall so you'd stop nagging about it."

"It took me a week to paint it." She slapped her forehead, chuckling. "And you just made all of that hard work disappear."

"It only took me two days." He sat down beside her on the bed, a smile on his face. "And I did four layers."

"You didn't have someone who attacked you every five minutes for sex."

"How would you know that?"

"You told me." She bumped his shoulder, muttering under her breath. "Idiot."

He narrowed his eyes at her, making a smile appear on her face. She threw her head back with laughter as he just shook his head in amusement, clearly not even offended by her words. This was how it always had been, she could say the most silliest things and he'd roll his eyes at her, smiling just because she would have a broad smile on her face. His heart started aching with the thought of losing that laughter out of his life, losing the love that hid behind that laughter. It made him want to fight even harder for that other smile that made his heart beat.

"If you go back to Stefan," He watched the laugh fall from her face, a pregnant pause lingering. "I'll take Liam from you."

"What?" Her eyes went wide, her voice only a whisper. "You can't do that."

"You go back to him and I'll fight you for custody." He got up from the bed, leaving her shocked behind. "He's my son and he should know."

"So you're forcing me to go with you?"

"No." He threw his arms up. "I know that you think that you're doing the right thing by staying with Stefan, but you don't love him and it's time that you stand up for yourself and Liam. Leave him, just leave him."

"Stay out of my business!" The tears started streaming down her face. "You only came back for that stupid trial, you never wanted to be a father so you don't have the right to take Liam from me!"

"I took care of that stupid trial." He spat in frustration. "Klaus dropped the charges."

"How much did it cost you?" She got up from the bed, hugging herself. "Why do you have to ruin everything?"

"It cost me enough." His voice sounded husky, filled with emotion. "And I didn't ruin everything, that trial would have ruined you so I made it go away."

"You ruined us!"

"Mommy?"

She spun around, Damon's head snapping in the same direction, their eyes locking on the blue eyes of the little boy. Liam's young eyes looked at Damon before they switched to Elena's eyes and found the tears streaming down her face. He looked so vulnerable and innocent in that moment that it made her tear up all over again. Her little boy, the light of her life, her reason for existing, she never wanted him to know how pain felt, how heartache could ruin a person.

"Mommy, don't cry." He stepped through the door, his big blue eyes focused on her. "Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing, buddy." She wiped the tears from her face, forcing a smile. "Come here, give me a hug."

"Damon can fix you if you're hurting."

"He can't fix this."

"I thought you said you were a good doctor." Liam looked up at Damon. "Then why can't you fix Mommy?"

"Doctors can't fix everything." He ruffled the boy's hair. "Sometimes only time can fix something."

Liam pouted his lips as he thought about Damon's words, his arms reaching up to his mother who picked him up and hugged him tightly, inhaling the smell of his chestnut hair, enjoying his small arms wrapping around her neck. She opened her eyes, locking with the other blue ones in the room, finding him watching them, his face thoughtful, the conversation from a few minutes ago lingering in the air.

"Thank you for watching him." She cleared her throat, her heart aching as she looked into that ocean of blue. "But Stefan is picking me up in an hour so we'll take him home with us."

"You're supposed to stay for another three days." He shook his head at her. "It's not smart to discharge yourself."

"I want to go home." She placed Liam down on the bed, handing him his color book. "I feel fine and I want to take care of my son again."

"I can take care of him for a couple more days."

She rolled her eyes, avoiding Liam's curious gaze. Her heart started beating faster in her chest as she stepped forward and grabbed Damon's arm, dragging him to the door, ignoring the way her skin tingled by touching his. She looked back at Liam who was coloring his drawing and pointed her stern look at the man before her again.

"I think you don't get it." She arched her eyebrow at him. "You just threatened to take my son away from me. This is not a discussion, it's not even a fight, it's a war now."

"Elena..."

"No." She pulled the door open, her face harder than ever. "Get out of my sight because I don't want to spend the rest of my life with the asshole you became."

He looked up at her, with those ocean blue eyes that used to stare into the depths of her soul. But she closed that gate to him the second he threatened to take away that soul from her. He had always been though, stronger than she ever was, but when the fight came down to love a child, a mother would always win. And he knew he'd release the lioness with his threat, the Elena he knew that could make him get on his knees, crawl over the ground like a snake.

She didn't even blink as he stepped through the door, his blue eyes boring into hers, her breathing heavier than before. She closed the door behind him once he completely stepped through it and turned back to the boy on the bed, his blue eyes carefully watching her, much like his father's had been doing a couple of minutes ago.

"Why did Damon have to leave?"

"Because your daddy is picking us up in a few minutes." She sat down beside him, rubbing his back. "And then I'll finally get to go home with you again."

"But now Damon will be alone." He looked up at her, his face sad. "Can't he stay with us?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea, sweetie."

"But Mommy, I like Damon." He rested his head against her shoulder. "We're best friends."

"I know you like him."

"I even showered with him." His blue eyes shimmered. "And we played the whole time and we talked about everything and he let me sleep with him and this morning we made pancakes."

"So you had a good time?"

"Yes." He nodded fiercely, taking the red pencil from the box. "He was almost as fun as auntie Care."

"Auntie Care is more fun?" She chuckled softly, hugging his back to her chest. "Why?"

"She lets me stay up longer."

"Of course." She placed a kiss on his hair, rocking him. "I always suspected that."

"Mommy?" He turned his head over his shoulder, forgetting all about his drawing. "Were you crying because you were fighting with Damon?"

"Yeah." She nodded sadly, stroking his chestnut hair. "We got into a fight but you don't have to worry about it."

"You shouldn't fight with Damon, Mommy."

"No?"

"No." He shook his head, turning back to his drawing. "Because he loves you too."

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><p>"Daddy!"<p>

Elena sat straight up in bed as she heard another scream from her son's lungs. The cries reached her even through the walls of the house, her heart squeezing with every new one. She threw the covers off her and grabbed her robe from the bed, shielding her body from the cold winter. Her ears found the crying boy before her eyes, her husband trying to sooth his cries with whispered words.

"Mommy!"

Her heart squeezed another time as he reached for her, his eyes red and puffy, the tears rolling down his cheeks at the speed of a waterfall. Stefan turned around, rocking Liam in his hold, the boy struggling against his embrace. She reached forward and rubbed the boy's back, trying to ease him back to sleep after another nightmare.

"I told you to stay in bed." Stefan's eyes focused on her. "You need your rest, I'll get him back to sleep."

"I can't sleep when he's screaming like that." She took Liam from him, rocking him gently. "Go to bed, I'll deal with it."

"I want Daddy." Liam cried against her shoulder, gasping. "Daddy!"

"Daddy's right here, Liam." Stefan squeezed his shoulder, rubbing gently. "I'm right here."

"No!".

"Stefan just go back to bed." She stroked Liam's hair, holding him tight. "He'll calm down in a minute."

Liam kept trying against her neck while she watched Stefan get out of the room, eying the both of them with concern. She hushed Liam, stroking his hair, holding him tight, rocking him. The boy's cries were muffled a bit by her robe when she started rubbing his back, his eyes fluttering.

"What's wrong, baby?" She whispered into his ear. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"I want Daddy."

"Daddy's asleep now." She placed a kiss on top of his forehead. "We'll call him in the morning, okay?"

"No!" He started crying again, the crocodile tears rolling over his pink cheeks. "Daddy!"

"Okay, okay." She sighed, looking around the room. "We'll go downstairs and try to call him, okay?"

She took a deep breath as Liam nodded and stilled against her shoulder, his big blue eyes watching as they entered the hallway and she carried him down the stairs. Her hand trembled as she retrieved her cell phone from her purse and started searching for the number in the contact list. She pressed the green button and put the phone against her ear, hearing it ring on the other side of the line.

"Come on, Damon." She bit her lip, tapping her foot. "Pick up."

Liam's eyes were fixed on the phone against her ear, his pink lips parted, his tiny body trembling with anticipation and impatience. A sigh escaped her as it went to voice mail, Liam's eyes tearing up again as he saw her hit the red button.

"He's probably asleep." She shook her head at him, throwing the phone on the desk. "I promise we'll call him first thing in the morning."

"No. Now."

"Liam."

"Mommy." He started crying again, hugging her neck. "I want Daddy!"

"Liam, he's asleep." She shook her head, her own eyes filling up. "I can't just magically wake him through the phone."

"Daddy!"

"Okay." She rolled her eyes, picking the phone up. "I'll try one more time."

Liam just kept on crying this time as she put the phone to her ear, hushing him while listening to the ring on the other side. She bit her lip after three times and finally a tear rolled down her cheek as it went to voice mail again. Liam's screams became louder when she put the phone back on the desk, his whole body trembling against hers, her own emotions a mess.

"Stop crying and pull your coat on." She put him down on the floor, grabbing her car keys. "We're going to see Damon."

He nodded fiercely and ran to the hallway for his coat, she went after him and helped him zip it up before pulling the front door open, closing it quietly behind her. She opened the car door and helped Liam buckle up before she brought the car to life and drove away from the house, her eyes glancing at Liam in the rearview mirror. Her head was a whirlwind of thoughts while driving through the quiet town, the engine of her car the only sound to be heard. Liam stopped sobbing somewhere halfway down road and it made her sigh in relief.

"We're almost at the hotel." She looked up in the rearview mirror. "But we have to be quiet because people are asleep, okay?"

"Okay."

Her eyes traveled over the parking lot of the hotel, finding an empty spot near the exit. She got out of the car and pulled the door open, freeing Liam out of his seat belt. The boy took her hand once she had locked the car and stayed close to her as they entered the lobby and walked to the elevator. She pushed the button and watched the numbers go up above the steel doors, her heart beating frantically in her chest. Once the doors opened again she led Liam into the corridor and scanned it quickly, finding no one. Liam's eyes lit up once he saw Damon's room, his tiny hands already pushing against the wooden door.

"Damon." She knocked on the door, clearing her throat. "Are you in there?"

"Daddy!" Liam's eyes started tearing up again, his little fists slamming against the wood. "Daddy!"

"Damon! Open the damn door!"

She took a step back once she heard the lock being turned, the door slowly opening, Liam slipping through it before the man behind it was even in her sight. Her heart jumped in her throat as Damon's blue eyes locked onto hers, she sighed in relief, tears welling up in hers eyes as she saw him standing there, unharmed, his chest bare, his hand resting on their son's shoulder, his expression wary and concerned at the same time.

She launched forward and collapsed against his body, her arms wrapping around his neck, her face finding that spot against his shoulder where she fitted perfectly. Liam's sobs were as loud as her own, the little boy clinging to Damon's leg like he would never let him go again. Damon stood frozen in their embrace, his arm hesitantly wrapping around her back, his other hand rubbing soothing circles over Liam's skull.

"What's wrong?" Damon pulled his head back so he could look at her. "Are you two alright?"

"Don't leave, Daddy." Liam cried against Damon's leg, his big blue eyes looking up at him. "Please don't leave."

"Why would I leave?"

"Because you had a fight with Mommy." Liam clung even harder to his leg, his body shaking. "And I don't want you to leave."

"I'm not leaving." He let go of Elena and picked the boy up from the ground. "Don't worry, I wouldn't leave my best friend."

"No?"

"No." Damon shook his head, wiping the tears from Liam's face. "I would never leave you buddy."

"Pinky promise?"

"I pinky promise."

The smile that appeared on Liam's face made her heart swell and her tears flow. The comfort of being in his father's arm made his eyes flutter while Damon carried him over to the bed, gently tucking him under so he could peacefully fall asleep while his father sat next to him, the worries of fifteen minutes ago disappeared from his young face, the screams that had come from his lungs long forgotten now he felt safe again.

Elena sat down on one of the chairs in the room and watched Damon stroke Liam's hair, whispering soothing words into his ear, earning a smile every few seconds from the boy's face. She had always known that at some point in his life her little boy would find someone that would fill the empty space, that the day he'd meet his real father he'd probably never let him go again because he was the only father that would be able to understand him to the core, that would be able to connect with him in a way father and son were supposed to. She had known that, it was what she had been dreading the most when his real father showed up, because she knew neither of them would want to get out of the other one's life.

"Get in the bed." Her head snapped up, Damon suddenly standing beside her. "You shouldn't be driving and I'm too exhausted to."

Her lips parted slightly as she looked up at him while he threw one of his shirts at her for her to sleep in. He disappeared into the bathroom while she quickly changed into the gray shirt; she quickly inhaled his scent and then fixed her eyes on the closed bathroom door. Liam turned around on the bed, he sighed into his sleep before his breathing went back to the steady pace. Her feet carried her to the closed door, goose bumps appearing on her bare legs and arms, her hand reaching for the handle of the door, pushing it open to find Damon bent over the sink, breathing heavily, his fists grasping the sides of the counter.

"I'm sorry that we had to barge in here in the middle of the night." She closed the door quietly behind her, her voice making him look up. "But I didn't know what else to do; he just kept on screaming for you."

"It's my fault." He looked up in the mirror, wetting his lips. "I told him that he never met me because we got into a fight and you left."

"He probably thought you were going to leave because we were fighting at the hospital." She nodded in understanding. "Now it makes sense."

"I'm tired of this, Elena." He looked up at her, broken, tortured. "I'm tired of fighting with you all the time."

"I'm tired of fighting with you." She leaned against the door, staring at him. "But every time I tried to let you back in every bone in my body starts screaming at me because you've hurt me before and I don't ever want to feel that kind of pain again."

"That's why you suddenly changed your mind again this morning." He shook his head sadly. "I hung up on you and it hurt your feelings."

"I don't want to be weak anymore, Damon."

"You don't have to be weak anymore."

She knew why she didn't have to be weak anymore, because he was back, her rock, the one she always depended on, that one person in the world that would always have her back. He came back for her and brought the strength back she had left behind the day she left Chicago. It didn't matter anymore that he'd been gone, she had forgiven him long ago, the pain of not being able to go back to him still lingering beneath the surface, the love she had received in return by not going back to him, from the child he gave her.

"If you ever threaten to take my son away from me again," Her voice was husky, her eyes watching his every movement. "I'll kill you."

"I know."

The words rolled off his tongue like they were the most normal thing in the world, no fear or shock rested behind it, he knew what their son meant to her, what she'd do if anyone even thought about hurting the little boy she had always protected with her life. That's why his next steps were so cautious, filling the gap between them that had been there for the past five years, closing the emotions that still lingered between them in the air, finding the lips from the woman he'd always love.

She didn't even know why she had ever tried to fight them; she could see it in his eyes the moment before he closed his lips over hers. He would never hurt her again because with every beat she had to take from him, he hurt himself as much as he hurt her.

Her mouth moved with his in the familiar pace, hungry, desperately, clinging to the other like they would die the moment they let go. It took them five years to get to this point, to fill the need inside of them to be one again, to let their souls collide with their other halves, to let their hearts finally come home.

And he would always be that one place that she'd call home. That one place where everything was familiar, safe, the exact feeling she got while he ravished her mouth, while his arm slipped under her to hold her up against the door, that exact feeling that closed around her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. It wasn't need that brought them to the ground, her back pressing against the cold floor tiles; it was absolute desperation that brought them there, desperate to be with each other again, to fill that empty space that only the other could fill.

He slowly pulled his shirt off of her, gazing down at her like she was the most precious treasure he had ever seen, his blue eyes traveling over her naked chest, his hand softly cupping her breast. It was all too much for her, the emotions in his eyes, the vulnerable man in front of her, it made her want to cry all over again. But she didn't cry, instead she gave him a mesmerizing smile, her body moving up to unzip his black jeans, helping him take them off.

She had always known she had been blessed to get to lay her eyes on him. The sculptured chest the dream of every warrior, the black raven hair the wish of every model, those ocean blue eyes the death of every woman. She was his woman, but instead of killing her, those blue eyes were what had kept her alive all this time without him, the ocean blue eyes he passed on to their son, giving her that one thing that would make sure she'd never be able to forget him.

Her hands were still wandering over his chest as he sat down between her legs, her body sprawled out on the bathroom floor, his body hovering above hers, trembling in anticipation. He quickly removed her panties from her body, her heart beating frantically in her chest, his breathing heavy.

He settled himself in front of her entrance, the hard length pushing against her opening. And as he thrust forward and made them one again after five years, she finally came home, the empty space in her chest was filled, the nagging feeling in her stomach faded away and everything in the world made sense again. Every fight they had, every conversation, every time she ran out the door to launch herself back into his arms, all those moments leading up to this one moment that would change their lives forever. Because she wasn't going to let him go again, not now she had him back in her life, in her body, in her heart and soul.

His thrusts were deep, his eyes never leaving hers, growls falling from his lips and she couldn't believe it had been five years since he had last made love to a woman. It was a skill he would never unlearn, he could make her body tingle before he had even ripped her clothes off, he could make her hum in satisfaction before his lips had even touched her skin. He was that person that knew her body better than anyone else ever would, because she had shared it more with him than with anyone else. He became the owner of it, that person that could use it whenever because it wouldn't survive without his touch, that claimer that could own it because no one else would ever be able to properly love it.

His chest moved against hers, his breathing in her ear, her nails digging into his back, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist while his hips seemed to push faster with every new movement. He was desperate, needy, after five years of not loving someone, he finally had someone again to love. And then it hit her, he had been alone for the past five years, lonely. No one was there to hold him, hug him, support him, talk to him after he had a rough day. No one told him how proud they were of him, how much he meant to them, how much he was loved.

"You'll never be alone again."

The words escaped her, breathed into his ear as his cheek rubbed against hers. His thrusts faltered for a moment to lock his blue eyes with her brown ones, the desperate need to love her again reflecting in them, the desperate need to finally come home to her again.

"I love you Damon Salvatore." She tugged his head to her, breathing against his lips. "I never stopped loving you."

The force behind the movement of his lips on hers said enough about his love for her, the words may not have been spoken but she had always known that they loved on the same level, that no one else would ever be able to love them on that level. It was the thought that filled her mind as he drove them to the edge, she had never really loved before him, her heart had never been possessed like this, like the day she ripped it away from him, it died in her chest. Her lungs had never before needed the air that was him, until the day she walked out on him and they seemed to stop breathing for her.

Her world shattered into a million pieces as he growled against her neck, shivering on top of her, his body trembling as she held onto him, panting, her nails digging into his flesh, her body completely satisfied yet craving for more. A minute passed before their breathing got slightly normal again, Damon's head resting on her chest, his ear above her heartbeat, his whole body drowning in sweat drops, her own body doing very much the same thing. She placed a kiss on his hair, trying to stop the trembles that went through his body, the shivers that ran down his spine. Her hand traveled over his arms, trying to warm him up, getting his body still on top of her.

They didn't need words to tell the other what they felt in that moment, she could feel it radiating from him, the way his blue eyes were staring in front of him but not really seeing anything, the way his body was draped over hers, afraid she might disappear once he freed her. Her body clung to his, afraid he might leave her again if she let him go. They stayed like that for minutes, hours, days, the unspoken words spoken with just their breathings, the emotions lingering between them with just the touch of their skins, the blissful moment broken by the ring of his cell phone.

"It's the hospital." He absently mumbled against her chest while she stroked his hair. "I should take it."

"Go." She placed a kiss on top of his head, helping him get up from the floor. "Before it wakes Liam up."

She immediately felt cold the second his body left hers, naked. His eyes were distant while he got up, not even glancing at her, his head seemed to be a thousand miles away and for some reason it scared her because she was all too aware of him. The only thing she could do was grab his shirt and pull it back over her head while she heard him mumble on the phone in the other room, his sighs reaching her in the bathroom. His voice disappeared but his body reappeared in the bathroom, his blue eyes looking for her brown ones, his face filled with an expression she couldn't read. Her heart drummed in her chest, her eyes looking for support in his, her soul feeling him slowly pull away.

"They found a heart for your mom."

* * *

><p><strong>Please review!<strong>

**Follow me on Twitter for spoilers & updates: QueenOfDelena**


	17. Here comes goodbye

I'm sorry for the long wait, life is busy atm. Many hugs and kisses again for Lauren, world's greatest beta.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 17

'Here comes goodbye'

"Come on, buddy."

Elena paced the room with her phone to her ear as she watched Damon wrap Liam into a blanket. The boy started protesting in his sleep, clearly perfectly content with where he was now. Warm tingles spread around her heart. The words she couldn't speak lay on her tongue; how if he could see himself right in this moment he'd realize how much of a father he actually was, how there was a little boy looking up at him, ready to step into his daddy's every footstep. Some part of her had always known that he'd make a good father; it was his own doubts that had caused that other part of her to believe he wouldn't be. But now he held his son in his arms, tucked in the warm blanket, rocking him softly back to the deep sleep he had been in, it became all the more clear that those doubts had been printed into his memory but never made it to his heart.

"Hello?"

"Caroline!" Her voice pitched, her hand clasping the mobile tightly. "I'm so sorry to wake you up but it's an emergency..."

"What's wrong, Elena?" Caroline was suddenly more alert, awake. "Did something happen?"

"They found a new heart for my Mom." She swallowed back the lump in her throat. "So I have to get to the hospital but I don't want to take Liam with me."

"Of course." Caroline sighed, more relieved. "Do you want me to come to you or are you bringing him here?"

"We already have him wrapped up in a blanket," She averted her eyes from the floor to where Damon stood with Liam, trying to maneuver his phone into his jeans pocket. "We'll be there in ten minutes."

Damon's blue eyes were focused on her as she dropped her phone back into her purse and grabbed her coat from the chair, draping Liam's over her arm. With a small nod from Damon she opened the door and closed it behind them once they stepped into the hallway, the air sizzling with the tension between them. Ten minutes ago she had been squirming underneath him, panting his name, surrendering her body to his touch. The outside world had been forgotten, the husband that was waiting at home for her not on her mind, her mom that lay in the hospital forgotten the moment he slid inside of her, reminding her how he could make her feel, how he could still own her after five years of being separated.

So many questions rushed through her mind, most of them caused by the events from just a few minutes ago, others still lingering there from five years ago. Getting all the answers to them would take time, time that would now be filled in by her mother's heart transplant and hopefully after that recovery.

"My car keys are in my right pocket." Damon's hushed tone snapped her out of her thoughts. "Grab them, will you?"

Her hand trembled as she slid it into the pocket of his jeans, trying not to think about how close she was to certain parts her body was craving for. The keys rang as she retrieved them from his pocket, the sound breaking the cold silence in the garage. She pushed the button on the key and saw the indicators of the sleek black car light up. Without paying much attention to the beauty of the Bentley she opened the door and let herself fall back into the leather seat, holding her arms out for Liam.

Her son snuggled into her embrace once he was settled in her lap, his chestnut hair a mess on his head, his pink lips slightly parted as he slept peacefully now he had his daddy within reach. Damon slid into the driver's seat, the roaring engine making Liam stir against her chest. Silence filled the car as they drove out the garage, Damon's face only lit by the lights of the dashboard, his body stiff next to her.

"I see you still like expensive cars."

"I like fast cars." He noted absently, his eyes on the dark road ahead of them. "The expensive part just comes along with it."

"I liked the Audi better."

"Because you were allowed to drive it." He snorted, his lips curling up. "I've seen you park once, it gave me nightmares, you're never driving this one."

"I can drive just fine, thank you." She rolled her eyes at him. "It's just parking my car that's difficult."

"You know there are cars that park themselves these days."

"I don't have the money to afford a car like that." She looked out the window, the vacant city flashing by her. "Besides, I like my Prius just fine."

"Doesn't your husband's daddy support you?"

"I'd rather make my own money." She placed her chin on top of Liam's head. "Having no job makes that difficult of course."

"It's going to take a while before you can go back to work, you have to recover first." His grip on the wheel tightened, his eyes briefly meeting hers. "Any idea what you're going to do next?"

"No." Her voice got stuck in her throat. "My life is a mess at the moment and I have to figure everything out."

She sighed into the cold car, placing a kiss on top of Liam's head, looking down at the boy in her arms, picturing all the dreams she had for him. The warm family she had grown up in, the relationship with her father, the talks with her mother. They were all things she had wished to give to him the day he was born, the second he lay in her arms. Instead he had gotten the shallow reflection of a warm family home because his mommy and daddy didn't trust each other completely. He had been given a dad but not one that could keep up with him, that understood his thoughts and questions; he had been withheld that privilege because she had taken him away from the man that was supposed to raise him. The only thing she hoped she had managed to give him was a mom that loved him endlessly, her life built around making him happy. Just like her mom had always cared for her happiness, until Damon had come into the picture.

"Will she make it?" Her voice broke the silence, the whisper barely audible. "Will my mom survive?"

"I don't know."

"But there's a heart for her, right?" Her voice filled with hope. "And you once said that they wouldn't give her a heart unless she's healthy."

"I moved her up the list, Elena." He whispered into the dark. "Trust me when I say they wouldn't have given her a heart now if it hadn't been for my name behind it."

"But what do you think?"

"I don't know, sweetie." He turned his head towards her, shrugging. "I wish I did but I'm not even really operating on her, there's a transplant surgeon coming down here, I'll just assist."

"Will that surgeon be on time?" Her voice pitched, her eyes searching his. "Where is he coming from?"

"It takes a few hours before we can operate, the heart has to be checked out, your mom has to be prepped for surgery, trust me when I say it will be morning before we get started."

"But you're exhausted." She scanned the side of his face. "How are you going to be able to operate?"

"I'm going to sleep while we wait for the heart to arrive." He bit his bottom lip, glancing at Liam in her arms. "I've done this before, trust me, I'll be ready when we step into the theater."

She nodded slowly, her brown eyes focusing on the road in front of them again, Liam softly snoring, Damon inhaling deeply. The lights in Caroline's front yard lit up as Damon drove up the driveway, Tyler already pulling the front door open, Caroline standing behind him in her robe. Even from a distance she could see the frown on Caroline's face as Damon stepped out of the car and walked around it to open her door, retrieving Liam from her arms.

"You need any help?" Tyler reached the car, wearing nothing but sweatpants. "Do you want me to carry him?"

"No, it's okay." Damon tucked Liam's head into his shoulder. "I got him."

The walk to the front door was made in silence, the tension in their bodies only increasing by Caroline's stare as Damon came closer to the door. Caroline moved out of the way, adjusting her robe while Tyler pointed for Damon to go up the stairs, leaving Caroline to tug on Elena's arm.

"You have some serious explaining to do."

"_You have some serious explaining to do." _

_She looked up from her coffee straight into Caroline's burning eyes, her hand twisting the cup around in circles. The silence in the car on the ride from the airport had been a test for her nerves; in some way she never wanted to talk about what Caroline had discovered, in another way she wanted someone to talk to, someone she could tell about her dirty secret. _

"_How long has this been going on?" _

"_Since his birthday." She averted her eyes back to the table cloth. "We kissed before that but we really started sleeping together on his birthday." _

"_When did you kiss?"_

"_At my wedding."_

_She buried her face in her hands, not having to look up to see the shocked expression on Caroline's face, the judgment, the disbelief; she could picture it all. Because she would have the same expression on her face if she'd been the one asking the questions, sitting on the other side of the table, being the girl she'd always thought to be. But she wasn't that girl anymore, she was a confused girl now, torn between two men, somehow the dream of every woman became her real life._

"_How could this happen, Elena?" Caroline's voice broke. "You and Stefan seem so happy together."_

"_And we were." She looked up with teary eyes, shrugging. "But then I met Damon and he just turned my world upside down." _

_Flashes of the previous night appeared in front of her eyes. Damon's hard body rocking against her, his parted lips brushing hers as he moved above her, occasionally dipping down to taste her mouth, her nails digging into his flesh, her legs wrapping tighter around him, pushing him as deep inside of her as physically possible. And after all those times there was still nothing better to push her over the edge than to lose herself in the blue of his eyes. He lay on her chest afterward, the heartbeat under his ear being the comfort that she was still with him. _

_The goodbye in the morning had been painful, her heart didn't seem able to let go of him; her body was even less excited to be separated from his. It was irrational and silly because she knew she'd have him back in her arms in two days but still she didn't seem able to pull herself out of his embrace, not just because his arms were tightly wrapped around her but because her arms didn't want to loosen their grip on him. A few snarky remarks from the cabdriver had finally gotten her irritated enough to snap through the thoughts of leaving him. _

"_What are you going to do now?" Caroline took her hand in hers, squeezing. "Are you going to leave Stefan or tell him about Damon?"_

"_I don't know." She shrugged defeated, helplessly. "The thing is that when I'm with Damon my mind is clouded and I just can't think rational around him because what I feel for him, it scares me to death, but on the other hand I crave it. And then when I'm with Stefan I can see everything I always wanted when I grew up, I can picture my kids and my husband and it's just everything I thought I would be."_

"_And Damon doesn't want those things?"_

"_No. He doesn't want kids and he doesn't want to get married and I don't know if I can live with that." She swallowed back the lump in her throat, focusing on Caroline. "Maybe I can give up kids now but what if I wake up in ten years and realize that I do want kids?"_

"_I think you just have to figure out if you love him enough to give up on kids." _

"_Hey kiddo!" Strong arms suddenly wrapped around her, making her jump in her seat. "How was Chicago?"_

"_Daddy!" She sighed, holding her hand over her heart. "Don't scare me like that and don't talk so loud."_

"_He knew where you were?" Caroline's eyes went wide, staring at Grayson who sat down beside her. "Why did he know and I didn't?"_

"_Someone had to drive me to the airport."_

_The truth was that she hadn't seen the need to hide it from her dad because he already knew about her and Damon. For some reason it felt good to tell someone the truth, even if it was only for her own piece of mind. _

"_You know what?" Caroline grabbed her purse, sighing. "I need some time to process all this so I'm going to go."_

"_Caroline, please don't be mad."_

"_I'm not mad, sweetie." She walked around the table, hugging Elena. "I'm just shocked that this is happening and I need some time to get my head wrapped around it."_

"_Okay, I get it."_

"_I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" Caroline gave her a smile to reassure her. "We'll figure it out."_

_She gave Caroline a smile of her own, a forced smile that hid all the doubts that lay behind it, all the heartbreak and pain that would come along with the crucial decision she would make. Because she'd hurt someone, no matter which life she chose._

"_So kiddo." Grayson moved to the seat Carol had occupied. "Did you have fun in Chicago?"_

"_Uhm..." She blushed a crimson red, feeling her face heat up. "Yeah..."_

"_Oh." Grayson nodded, frowning. "I get the picture, lots of indoor activities huh?"_

"_I spend a lot of time with Lauren in the city." She quickly changed the subject. "Chicago is cold, really cold, with a lot of slippery ice."_

"_They don't call it for nothing Windy City, darling." He chuckled in amusement, sipping his coffee. "How did you get along with Damon's mom?"_

"_She's great." A smile came on her face, the fond memories of her time with Lauren running through her mind. "She's awesome to be around and she just accepted me without asking any questions. She's full of energy and she and Damon drive each other crazy all the time but you can see just how much they love one another."_

"_How are they dealing with the whole Giuseppe situation?" _

"_I have no idea, Damon told me that he didn't want to ruin the holidays by asking her," she shrugged unknowingly. "And then I arrived so I don't think he really had the chance to talk to her about it."_

"_I'm sure they'll work it out."_

_Her father nodded solemnly, his gray eyes filled with wisdom but the worry for the man he practically considered his son visible in them. A smile spread on her face as she watched him, adoring him like she was still the five-year-old that thought of him as her greatest hero. And he still was her hero, the man that raised her, loved her, cleaned every scar on her knee. She knew she'd got lucky with her parents, that they'd always be there to support her, to cherish her and make her happy until the day they'd leave this earth._

"_Speaking about parents." She grabbed his hand, squeezing it. "What's going on with Mom?"_

"_Damon didn't tell you?"_

"_No. He said it's confidential." She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "But something is going on, I can feel it."_

"_He probably told you to talk to your mother." Grayson tapped her nose, chuckling. "Not to me."_

"_But she'd never tell me." She bored her eyes into his. "And there is something going on, because you and Damon are being way too secretive. How bad is it?"_

"_She has congestive heart failure." Grayson took her hand between his. "It means her heart isn't strong enough anymore to provide enough oxygen for her other organs." _

"_Can they fix it?" She stammered, her eyes wide open. "I mean, they can cure her, right?" _

"_She's on medication now." He nodded, swallowing back the lump in his throat. "But sooner or later she's going to need a heart transplant."_

"_How soon?" _

"_I don't know because they don't know." Grayson took a deep breath. "It depends on when her heart is going to give out and when there's another heart available for her."_

"_Oh god."_

"_She folded her hand over her mouth, her gasp coming the same time as the tears in her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to hold those tears back, seeing her father in front of her struggle with his own emotions. _

"_I'm going to use the bathroom." She whispered, desperately wanting to get out of there. "Just to freshen up a bit."_

"_Of course." Grayson nodded. "You want another coffee?" _

"_Sure." She wiped away a tear, grabbing the waiter's arm. "Can you point me to the bathroom, please?" _

"_Third door on the right."_

"Third door on the right." Tyler pointed his chin down the corridor. "That's the guestroom."

Damon nodded and placed his hand on Liam's head, tucking him into his neck. Tyler opened the door for him and went to the bed, tugging the covers to the side. Liam stirred in his arms as he tried to put him down, his little fingers clawing on his shirt.

"Shh." He placed a kiss on top of the boy's head. "You're okay, just go to sleep."

Liam slowly let go of his shirt, his hand falling next to his nose on the pillow, his small body relaxing against the soft mattress. Damon gently placed the covers on top of him, tucking them in the side of the bed so he wouldn't roll out. Liam's lips slowly parted as his breathing became regular, his nose snuggled into the pillow.

"He's out." Tyler whispered, holding the door open. "He'll probably sleep through the night."

"Yeah." Damon stood up, biting his lip. "If there's anything, just call Elena."

"Will do." Tyler nodded firmly, following him through the door. "So, what's the deal between you and Elena?"

"Uhm." He shrugged, frowning. "I guess you can say we're figuring things out."

They descended the stairs, finding Caroline rambling to Elena who looked up at him with pleading eyes. He rolled his eyes at her and came to stand next to her as Tyler took his place next to Caroline.

"I heard that the two of you got engaged." He patted Tyler's shoulder. "Congratulations, I didn't think there would be any man ever brave enough."

"Oh, shut up Damon." Caroline put her hands on her hips, staring daggers. "Besides we're not just getting married, we're going to be parents soon."

"What?" Elena's eyes popped out of her head. "You're pregnant?"

"I know it's not really the right time to tell you," Caroline bit her lip, hugging her friend. "But you know when I thought I had the flu and I couldn't watch Liam? Well, I went to the doctor and he told me the happy news."

"Congratulations!" Elena started doing a happy dance together with Caroline. "I'm so happy for you."

"Congratulations." Damon shook Tyler's hand. "I'm sure you're freaking out."

"I am." He nodded, smiling. "But it's going to be great."

"And he's not going to skip out on the hard years." Caroline crossed her arms, boring her eyes into his. "He's going to be here to change the diapers instead of coming back when his son starts to form sentences."

"Ouch, Caroline. Has no one ever told you that the truth hurts?" He held his arms out for her, hugging the blonde. "Congratulations."

"Welcome back, Salvatore." She whispered softly into his ear, hugging him more tightly than he expected. "Welcome back."

* * *

><p>"I love you so much."<p>

Elena stood nailed to the ground as she watched the scene in front of her; her parents curled up on the hospital bed, her mom whispering into her dad's ear whose eyes were red and puffy, both her parents too lost in their intimate moment to notice her in the doorway.

Her heart ached for them, for the two people who had spend their lives next to each other, who at some point decided to love each other enough to take those precious vows. Who decided to put enough trust in the other person to let them be the parent of their child, the mentor of their daughter's life.

She had once thought to be ready to do those exact things. Only to figure out later that she had chosen the wrong man to fulfill them with. The younger version of her had so many dreams about a wedding, a beautiful husband, loveable children, that it became her goal to make them become reality. But once the dream of marriage was realized, a dark stranger walked between the tables, his blue eyes boring into hers, her heart already taken by him but her will too strong to admit it.

"It's often in times like these that people realize how much they really love someone."

Elena looked over her shoulder, watching the tall red-haired woman lean against the wall, green eyes pointed at her brown ones, a small smirk resting on her lips. The woman seemed vaguely familiar, from another life time; the life time where she was still happy with Damon in Chicago, attending the benefits they organized for all different causes, Damon always reluctant to go to them while she dragged him there because she felt like being in his environment, surrounded by the people he worked with; it felt like he was no longer a dream anymore, but reality in her arms.

"It's Sage." The woman pushed herself off the wall, extending her hand. "We met at a benefit in Chicago."

"I'm Elena." She shook the green-eyed lady's hand. "And I'm sorry but at those benefits were always so many people, I don't really remember you."

"No worries." Sage gave her a tight smile, holding her hand up. "If you weren't the one who got Damon Salvatore to settle, I wouldn't have remembered you either."

"It's clear you know who I am." She bit her bottom lip, laughing nervously. "What brings you here, Sage?"

"I'm the transplant surgeon."

"You're here for my mom?"

"Yeah..."

"Thank you." She whispered, smiling up at Sage. "I know this hospital is probably not as modern as the ones you usually work in."

"I saw Damon was the one who was going to assist." She shrugged indifferently. "I wouldn't want to miss the chance to work with him."

"You know Damon well?"

"Damon and I go way back." She almost sang the words, her green eyes shimmering. "I was working in Chicago the same time Damon was walking around with this goofy grin on his face, telling everyone he'd be a married man soon."

"He told you?" She arched her eyebrow, shaking her head in disbelief. "We wanted to keep it small, just really close friends and family."

"Sweetie, he told everyone." Sage threw her arms up, laughing. "He was so in love with you, he wanted the whole world to know it."

"Even if the whole world knew..." She opened her mouth, searching for words. "We both know that wedding never happened."

That blissful stage between falling in love and getting married ran perfectly the second time around, more perfect than she could have ever imagined. She was madly in love this time, convinced that she wouldn't breathe another day without him next to her. Every name on the guest list was put there by her; the rings were simple and yet so beautiful that she was assured that she'd never take it off again. Angry calls were made, whoever was on the other line having to endure her endless wrath because the divorce papers still hadn't arrived and she was still bound to a man she didn't want to be bound to. When they finally promised her that the divorce papers would arrive soon, she'd received the news that broke her current relationship, tore her to pieces, made her run out the door.

"You broke his heart, you know?" Sage moistened her lips, her green eyes filling with remorse. "It took months before he operated again."

"He broke my heart too." She looked down at the tiled floor. "He was the one that tore us apart, not me."

"I'm sure you came back here and played the victim," Sage nodded, rolling her eyes. "But you left one broken man behind, Elena."

"He lied to me."

"He protected you."

"That doesn't make it okay."

"Elena."

She turned on her heels as her mother's voice called for her, her bed being moved out of the room, her father walking behind it. She swallowed the lump in her throat and placed a forced smile on her face, reaching for her mother's hand, feeling Miranda's cold skin between her palms.

"Hi, Mom." She squeezed her mother's hand between her palms. "How are you doing?"

"We don't have time for small talk, honey." Miranda patted the space next to her so she would sit down. "I want to tell you something."

"Okay."

"Be happy, Elena." Miranda's eyes teared up, her voice growing hoarse. "Even if it's with someone I'd never approve of, just be happy."

"Mom." She leaned down, wrapping her arms around her mom's neck. "It's like you're saying goodbye. But you don't have to say goodbye because I'll see you soon, okay?"

"You know me, always the dramatics." Miranda chuckled and placed a kiss on her daughter's cheek. "I love you, Elena."

"I love you too, mom."

"I'll see you after the surgery." Miranda composed herself, smiling. "Maybe we could go to the gym together when I'm brand new."

"I'll keep you fit." Grayson spoke up, winking. "I'm still a young stud in the bedroom, honey."

"Dad!" Elena whined, burying her face in her hands. "Please don't say things like that."

"He always knew how to ruin a moment." Miranda reached behind her to pat Grayson's arm. "I don't know how I endured all those years with you."

"I think it was all the crazy monkey sex."

"Dad!"

"Don't be such a prude, Elena." Her father rolled his gray eyes at her. "God knows you and Damon knew how to get it on."

"Can we not talk about Damon having sex with my daughter?" Miranda growled, shaking her head. "I read this article that said that what you hear the minutes before your operation are the things you dream about."

"He's a good guy you know?" Elena stroked Miranda's cheek, a peaceful smile on her face. "I know you don't believe it, but he really is."

"Well, I'm sure he did some things right in his life time." Miranda pouted her lips together, thinking. "Maybe I can thank him for Liam."

"Maybe you can."

"We have to go." Sage came to stand next to one of the nurses. "Damon's already on stand-bye."

"We'll see you when you wake up." Grayson kissed his wife's forehead. "I love you."

Elena placed a quick kiss on her mother's forehead and watched as the nurses pushed her through the large doors, her father standing beside her. Miranda kept her eyes wide open, the white lights blinding her sight every few seconds as a new lamp on the ceiling passed over her. Tears welled up in her eyes, memories crossing her mind. Her family sitting at the table for Christmas, Stefan talking to his father, Elena sitting next to him, apparently content with watching Damon, her eyes filled with adoration. Elena's shaky voice on the other end of the line as she begged her to come back home, Damon's voice on the background, whispering soothing words. Her daughter with her own son in her arms, the same look of adoration on her face as she looked at the boy in her arms as when she looked at his father at the Christmas dinner just a few months ago. For the first time she realized Damon Salvatore would never be really out of her life, because her daughter had never given up on loving him. A three-year-old Liam murmuring about the snow outside as he falls asleep, Elena whispering to him that he would see a lot more snow once they'd go home to Chicago, that he'd need a thicker jacket. It made her wonder when Chicago became her daughter's home; knowing the answer all too well.

"Which one of you monkey-suits is Damon?"

She stretched her neck as a door went open, Damon smirking as he came towards her, wearing the green monkey-suit, his black hair tousled, his blue eyes shimmering in amusement. She watched him until he stopped beside her, eying him with a suspicious look.

"You're only wearing half of your costume."

"I can see where Elena got her sense of humor from." He sat down on a crutch beside the operating table. "She's not as cynical as you though."

"At least it's better than where Liam got his sense of humor from."

"I agree to disagree." His lips curled up in a small smile. "What can I do for you, Miranda?"

"Take care of them when I'm gone."

"If you already know that you're going to die then what's the point of me starting this operation?" He grabbed her hand carefully, feeling the unfamiliar skin. "Nothing's going to happen, Miranda. In a few months you'll be running after Liam and you'll have forgotten all about this."

"I feel like I'm never going to wake up again." Her eyes filled with tears as she let out a hard laugh. "But I guess you wouldn't mind, huh?"

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He squeezed her hand in his, shaking his head. "Because that would mean one of my best friend's would lose his wife, the woman I love would lose her mother and my son would have to grow up without his grandmother."

"Nice speech."

"Besides, which guy does get along with his mother-in-law?"

"You're not my son-in-law, mister." She chuckled, narrowing her eyes. "Although I have the feeling that it won't take that long anymore."

"Did I get you on team Damon?"

"No." She shook her head, her eyes scanning over his body. "But I can see what she sees in you, you're... not bad to look at."

"You'd be surprised to know how many good qualities I possess. " He waggled his eyebrows at her. "And trust me when I say you'll get to know me after this, because we're going to have a lot of appointments."

"Great." She growled under her breath. "I can't wait."

"Now you're just getting grumpy." He took the mask from next to her head. "It's time to shut you up."

"Damon?"

"Hmm."

"Thank you for Liam."

"You're welcome."

* * *

><p>"<em>Do you still have Damon's phone number?"<em>

_Stefan's green eyes watched her intensely, waiting for her to speak. Her voice seemed to be stuck in her throat as he arched his eyebrow at her, a suspicious look on his face. And for a second she thought he knew, he knew she was madly in love with another man, that last week had been a lie, that she was doubting their marriage so much that she had found comfort in another man's arms._

"_Damon Salvatore's phone number?" Her voice pitched, her throat squeezing together. "Why do you need his number?"_

"_Because he turns out to be my half-brother." Stefan smiled patiently, his voice indicating that he was stating the obvious. "My dad was pretty hard on him and I thought maybe I can meet him, get to know him."_

"_Are you sure you want to meet him?" She lifted her shoulders, swallowing. "I mean, will Giuseppe approve of that?"_

"_My father doesn't have to know." Stefan smirked, pulling his hands out of his pockets. "I'd like to meet him; he's my brother. I remember praying for one and now it turns out I have one."_

_Her heart seemed to swell at the boyish grin on his face, her husband looking so young and vulnerable, praying to meet his long lost brother. For her own selfish reasons, she didn't want them to meet but as she looked at her husband she couldn't deny him. After everything she put him through, even if he had no idea yet, he deserved a small piece of happiness she could grant him._

"_I'll write it down for you." _

"_What kind of person is he?" Stefan leaned against the counter as she started searching for a pen and paper. "I only met him at Christmas and we didn't really get the chance to talk." _

"_Damon is..." She searched her head for the right words. "Damon is hard to describe. I can safely say he's probably like no one you've ever met."_

"_But can you tell me something about him?" _

"_He's smart, he's funny, he hates people who beat around the bush because he's always straight-forward. He doesn't thrive on setting records like many people think, he thrives on saving people." She looked up at Stefan, burning under his stare. "If you meet him, don't talk about his mom, I've never seen any man love his mother like he does, if you say something wrong about her he won't let you get away with it."_

"_Okay." Stefan nodded in understanding, letting her words sink in. "Anything else?"_

"_He's hot-headed; that you're nice to him won't necessarily mean that he'll be nice to you." She scribbled down the number on a piece of paper and handed it to him. "And most of all, he won't trust you."_

"_Do I want to meet this guy?"_

"_Yes you do." She locked her brown eyes with his green ones. "Because if you get him on your side, he'll be the best brother you could ever wish for."_

"_I'm going to have to practice my speech before I meet him." Stefan's eyes widened in horror. "Sit there, pretend you're Damon and I'm going pretend like I'm meeting you for the first time."_

"_I don't think anyone besides Damon can really be Damon."_

"_Elena, sit down."_

"Elena, sit down."

"It's been four hours."

Elena nervously bit on her bottom lip, pacing the waiting room once more, her father sitting down on one of the chairs, staring blankly in front of him. He occasionally spoke, telling her to sit down, that they'd come to them when they had news. How well he was dealing with all of this made her even more scared, because she was the only one freaking out right now.

"They said it would take around four hours." Grayson's gray eyes were locked on the floor. "Besides, the fact that they're still in there means she isn't dead yet."

"Elena!"

Wide green eyes landed on her brown ones, her husband's hair ruffled, the snowflakes melting into it. She watched the relief wash over his body as he noticed her standing there, the panic fading away in his eyes. With determined steps he came to stand in front of her, reaching for her shoulders, his arms wrapping around her as he buried his nose into the crook of her neck. And as she felt the distress leave his body, his heart drumming underneath his skin, she realized she didn't want to live a lie anymore.

"We have to talk."

"_We have to talk." _

_He growled his complaints against her neck, his lips lingering on her skin, leaving hot wet kisses there. A soft moan escaped her, the fabrics of their clothes rubbing against each other as he moved to attack the other side of her neck, making her squirm underneath him. Her hand grabbed the side of the car seat, her hand running over the fabric of the back, her eyes looking up at the roof of the car._

"_Damon." She grabbed his tousled hair in her fists, pulling him up. "Did you hear me?"_

"_Honey, I'd love to talk to you." He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, hovering above her face. "But we're going to freeze if we don't keep each other warm." _

_She chuckled as he dove back down, his hands roaming over her stomach, her sweater rolled up to under her breasts. He looked up with those blue eyes of his, the mischief glistening in them as he left open mouth kisses around her navel, his tongue occasionally dipping inside of it. She could do nothing but revel in his touch, reveling in the fact that her arms were finally able to wrap around him again._

"_Let's stop while we're still busy with foreplay." _

"_Let's not stop." He murmured against her tummy, licking her olive skin. "Ever."_

"_Don't you dare give me a hickey." _

"_You're the one who wanted foreplay." He traced the line of her panties. "Even though it's completely overrated." _

"_I actually read an article once that said long foreplay gives the best sex." _

"_Trust me." He smirked as she pulled his zipper down, freeing his length. "I just have to look at you and you're already wet, we don't need foreplay." _

"_Don't make me sound so needy." She smacked his arm, narrowing her eyes. "I think it actually took me from the airport to the parking lot to really be ready." _

"_Of course, that's why you practically jumped me the second you saw me."_

_She rolled her eyes in annoyance, lifting her hips so he could pull her jeans over them, smoothly uncovering her for him. Her lower-belly already started tingling in anticipation, her eyes watching his length, the tiny bundle of nerves between her folds swelling. A gasp escaped her as suddenly his tip pushed inside of her, spreading her walls for him. _

"_You really think foreplay is overrated." She bit her bottom lip, fighting the moan. "But I really do think that article was right."_

"_Sweetie, if I hadn't put him inside of you he'd have frozen off." He guided himself deeper inside of her, his nose pushing against hers. "You're still thinking about foreplay?"_

"_Uh-huh."_

"_How about now?" He heard her whisper a forced yes and angled his hips better so they hit her G-spot. "And now?"_

"_Foreplay," The husky whisper reached his ears barely, her eyes fluttering as her walls swallowed him deeper. "So overrated."_

"_Exactly." He pecked her lips softly, pushing himself up to the hilt, releasing her out of her misery. "Remember that because I have this feeling that we'll have another discussion about it in our future."_

_Their future and the uncertainty of it was exactly what they needed to talk about. Was she going to need a lawyer, would she be a divorced woman soon, would he take her with him or would he leave her behind. He was leaving again in two days, never coming back this time and she didn't know what his plans were, if he had any. A part of her wanted him to beg her to come with him, another part of her wanted to beg him to take her with him. _

"_Hello?" _

_Her head snapped up, looking at the misted window of the car. Damon stilled his movements on top of her and waited for the owner of the voice to tap another time against the window. She looked up at him with frantic eyes once the person started walking around the car, trying to see through the misted windows. Her heart beat in her throat, Damon moistening his lips, still as a statue on top of her, inside of her. _

"_This is the sheriff." The deep voice tapped another time on the window. "Please come out of the car or I'll feel obligated to break the glass." _

_Damon pulled himself out and off of her, sitting down at her feet, zipping up his pants. She breathed deeply, watching him smooth the fabric of his shirt, grabbing his jacket from the front seat. He rolled his eyes as the sheriff called for them another time, trying to see through the windows. Her breath got stuck in her throat as he pulled on the handle and opened the car door, getting out. _

"_Sir, you can't park here and you surely can't do what you were doing here." The sheriff's voice made shivers run down her spine. "I'll have to see some ID."_

"_It's in my bag in the trunk." _

"_Miss." The officer tapped on the door behind her back, pulling it. "You'll have to come out and identify yourself too."_

_She pulled her panties and jeans back over her hips, rolling down her sweater. With a sigh she got out of the car, briefly catching Damon's eye who was searching for his wallet in his bag. Then she turned to the sheriff, watching the shock come across his face. This must be how it felt to have people know you were cheating on your husband, people that attended your wedding, watched you pretend to be happily married and finally figured out that it was all a sham. _

"_Elena."_

"_Mr. Donovan." She nodded firmly, clasping her hands together in front of her. "How are Matt and your wife doing?"_

"_Does your mother know about this?" Mr. Donovan's eyes went wide, shaking his head. "What are you and Mr...?"_

"_Salvatore." She whispered, running a hand through her hair. "His name is Damon Salvatore."_

"_What are you and Mr. Salvatore doing here in the middle of nowhere?" _

"_You have a pretty good idea of what we were doing." Damon slammed the trunk shut. "The question is are you going to arrest us for it? Because I have this handcuff fetish..."_

"_Damon."_

"_How's that erection in your jeans feeling, Damon?" The sheriff smirked amused at how Elena silenced him. "I think that will be punishment enough."_

"_It is pretty painful."_

"_I'll let you two get away with it this time." He pointed his stern look at the two of them. "Next time I'll have to arrest you."_

"_Thank you, sir." Elena smiled gratefully, nodding. "It won't happen again."_

"_You're not the girl I thought you were, Elena." The sheriff shook his head in disappointment. "I hope you know what you're doing."_

_She averted her eyes from his, looking down at the ground, feeling more ashamed than ever. His footsteps walked past her, Damon's arms wrapping around her, her shaky breathing taking over. Her safety net wrapped more tightly around her, Damon's lips pressing against her temple, her eyes searching for his, finding her sea of love. It's all she could see as she looked into his ocean blue eyes, she couldn't imagine going a day without not looking into them, not seeing what she saw now; her future next to him._

"_I'm living a lie." She buried her face into his chest, her body shaking. "I'm living a lie."_

"I'm living a lie."

She pulled away from his embrace, his green eyes watching her in confusion, the wheels in his head turning. Once she had been ready to start her life with this man, go through every step in life with him, her heart had skipped a beat at just the sight of him, her nerves had been eased just with his presence. That was all in the past now, her heart taken over by another man that breezed in and took over from the man she thought she'd always belong to. Love had been a foreign concept to her when she was a teenager until she thought she found it in her current husband, only to realize later when her lover walked in that she'd never really been in love until he came along.

"I'm so sorry, Stefan." She clasped her hand over her mouth, shaking her head. "I want a divorce."

"Elena..."

"No, I'm sorry. Listen to me." She grabbed his hand in hers, holding it desperately. "My mom is fighting for her life and this is absolutely not the right time to do this but it feels like I have to do it now. I have to get my life back in order and I have to do it with the right people."

"And one of those people is Damon." He backed away from her, his face drowning in anguish. "After what he did to you, you're just going back to him."

"I know what you're thinking." Her eyes begged him to accept her plea. "I cheated on you and I left you behind without an explanation, I treated you horribly and still you took me back while you knew I was carrying his baby. And at that point I really believed that we would make it, that it was just a period and that we get through it. And then Liam was born and you were the most amazing dad to him but in the back of my mind I was always wondering: what if Damon was here?"

"So you used me." He let out a hard laugh, running a hand through his already tousled hair. "After being married for five years and getting through all that bullshit it's still him?"

"I cheated on you, Stefan." She threw her hands up, her eyes spread wide open. "You shouldn't want to be married to me because I broke our vows and to be honest I've been breaking them for the past five years. I was in love with another man and I never stopped loving him. But deep down you knew that, I could see it in your eyes; you knew I still thought about him."

"I stayed with you because I love you, Elena." His green eyes bored into hers, tears welling up in them. "I love you so much, I thought that maybe someday he'd get out of your system and you'd see what we had and accept it, because what we have, it's beautiful."

"It is beautiful and I did love you, I still do." Her eyes teared up, seeing his sorrow. "But I don't think I was really in love with someone until Damon came along. I want that back, Stefan. I want to feel like that again, I want to be in love again with the man next to me."

"What about Liam?"

"Liam and Damon," She shrugged, looking for the right words. "You were a great dad to him and I'd never take you out of his life because I know you care about him and he cares about you too. But Liam and Damon they seem so natural at being father and son, it's different than it was with you."

"Damon's Daddy, isn't he?" Stefan pointed his eyes to the ground, biting his bottom lip. "When Liam was screaming for Daddy and he said he wasn't there, he was screaming for Damon."

"I'm sorry, Stefan. I'm so sorry for putting you through this." She wiped away the tear that escaped her eye. "But I'm not the only one that needs him; Liam needs Damon too."

"Elena." Grayson interrupted what she was going to say, pointing his chin to the two white doors. "Damon and Sage."

Her heart seemed to stop beating and beat faster at the same time, her breathing getting stuck in her throat, her eyes watching the two surgeons as they strode through the doors, Damon's eyes finding hers, his poker face in place. Her father got up from the chair and stood still, waiting for them to reach him, waiting for the new that would release them out of their misery, that would give them the future with the mother she had always known or that would break that future by keeping her out of it.

Her feet seemed to move by themselves as she came to stand next to her father, grabbing his hand, the two surgeons standing in front of them, looking at one another. Time seemed to stop as they finally turned to them, Sage pointing her eyes at Grayson's, Damon's blue eyes falling on hers, the mask he had carried seconds before falling off, letting her in. And she didn't need him to say the words anymore, she had been ready to start her life with him, learned how to read every emotion on his face, see everything he wanted to tell her with just those eyes. She didn't need Sage to speak the words anymore, she already knew.

"She didn't make it."

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>

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	18. I'll stand by you

Chapter beta'd by** LaylaReyne, **enjoy**! **

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 18

'I'll stand by you'

Death is a part of life. It's what you learn when your grandmother dies and you attend a funeral for the first time in your life, saying goodbye to that person who meant so much to you and had so much influence on your life, seeing that warm body that used to hug you tightly lying cold and motionless in a coffin. Death is a part of life, yet when you have to say goodbye to someone you love, it feels like the most unnatural thing in the world because suddenly your future with them disappears, the dreams you had for them vanish, and the conversations you planned with them will never be spoken. It's part of life but there doesn't seem to be one specific emotion for it; someone dies and suddenly every emotion seems to collide with the other, grief, anger, hurt, betrayal and even love, because when someone dies you realize, for the first time in your life, how much you really loved.

"We're gathered here today to say goodbye to our beloved Miranda Gilbert, wife, mother, grandmother and friend of us all."

Elena couldn't help but notice how few words were used to describe her mother when, in reality, she seemed to have been so much more. Her mother wasn't just her father's wife; she was his soul mate, his companion for eternity, and the woman that stood by him through high and low. She wasn't just her mother; she was the woman that eased her tears, cleaned up her bruised knees, put her to bed, and taught her everything there was to know about life. She wasn't just Liam's grandmother; she was his Granny that made him pancakes, sat next to him as him as played in the bath, and took naps with him in the afternoon when they both were tired. And least of all, her mother wasn't a friend of everyone; there were people that hated her mother, resented her even, and the perfect example was sitting next to her, his hand tightly wrapped around hers, his blue eyes focused on the five-year-old that fidgeted in her lap.

"Her husband will now say a few words."

Her father got up from his seat next to her, fumbling with the worn piece of paper in his hands. A loud sob escaped her throat as her father came to stand next to her mother's coffin, in some sick way the last time they'd be by each other's side. Her heart squeezed together another time as she noticed her father's red puffy eyes, the color drained from his face, his usually strong composure now shaky and trembling. He took a deep breath and then the heavy words started; sentences swimming in memories of old times, stories she had never heard before being told, and paragraphs filled with emotions she could only try to relate to. Not having that person you love unconditionally next to you, waking up alone in a cold bed without the warm arms that used to be there, coming home to an empty home after a rough day at work, not having that person's arms to fall into and forget about everything. That future seemed impossible to her because she had lived through five years of such an existence and a single day more would have killed her. She couldn't imagine not having him here, not now that he'd finally come home, not now that her heart seemed to have found a new strength, not now that her soul was complete again and her life was shaped the way she always imagined it would be.

Ocean blue eyes stared at her, filled with so many emotions that it made her want to cry even harder. They were supposed to be making love right now, reconciling for all the years they'd been apart, their limbs entwined, their souls colliding, their hearts beating at the same pace, but here they were at her mother's graveside. He barely dared to touch her, the anguish and guilt in his eyes visible, torture behind her ocean of blue. She wanted to stop crying, had tried to stop crying, because she could see it eating away at him, every tear she shed gnawing at him.

"It's time to say goodbye."

"_It's time to say goodbye."_

_They were the words she never wanted to hear come out of his mouth. Not when his bags lay packed behind him, the closets empty, the bathroom cleaned and not a trace of the fact that he'd lived here for months left behind. It was empty now, as empty as she felt on the inside now that he was pulling away from her, leaving again to never come back, to live his life without her a thousand miles away. The past days had been spent in silence, filled with making love to one another, the pull to share their bodies seeming more urgent than ever before. He was leaving and they both knew it, yet neither of them spoke it out loud. She knew this moment was going to come, that she had to make a choice that would determine the rest of her life. So she weighed her options, a husband, children, everything she ever wanted, here in her hometown. Or a future without the things she craved, replaced by two people who'd spend the rest of their lives next to each other, but their love would never be made official or made manifest by bringing a child into the world._

"_Don't say that." She shook her head, her eyes prickling with tears. "We don't have to say goodbye just yet. I can still drive you to the airport and wait with you for your flight."_

"_The hotel already called a taxi." He pressed his lips together, his blue eyes fixed on hers. "This is goodbye, Elena."_

_She wanted to stomp her foot like a five-year-old, the ten years between them never seemed so far apart as now. She felt like a little girl under his gaze, like the times she'd wanted to go to the bar with her father but he'd told her it was past her bedtime and sent her upstairs. He was the wiser one, not because he'd gone to school ten years longer than she had but because he'd lived ten years longer than her, giving him the wisdom of life, something that could only be gained with age and experience._

"_We knew this was coming, Elena." He smiled sadly, lifting his shoulders that seemed to carry a heavy weight. "We knew it from the start."_

"_But why are you so relaxed about this?" She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Why aren't you begging me to go with you?"_

"_Would you go with me?"_

"_I don..."_

"_I didn't ask you because I know you won't." He slung his bag over his shoulder. "You're clinging so tightly to that image of playing house that you can't see it's not what you really want."_

"_You don't know what I want." She stomped her foot, panting. "You don't even know what you want."_

"_When you followed me to Chicago, I figured out you don't want to be a wife." He threw his arms up, blue eyes glaring into brown ones. "You think you have dreams, but I was your escape from them, you don't run away from your dreams, Elena."_

"_Damon?"_

_A timid knock was followed by the voice of her husband, making her heart beat frantically in her chest, Damon's eyes snapping to the door because he too knew who was behind it. The Salvatore brothers had finally met after years of not knowing of each other's existence. For reason's unknown, they got along and started to spend more time with each other, meeting up at bars and restaurants, watching football games together and laughing at their own private jokes. She didn't know if she was happy or frustrated with it, but whatever she was, she couldn't share it with the exuberant Stefan or the silent Damon. It seemed to be something between the two of them, something she was not part of, yet she was part of both their lives._

"_Bathroom." He turned her around in the direction of the bathroom and gave her a push. "Hide."_

_She practically ran into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, leaving a small crack so she could hear the conversation going on in the room next to her. Never before had she felt this kind of anxiety, blood rushing through her veins, her heart beating faster than ever, all of her senses in overdrive, because she'd never before been almost caught cheating by her husband._

"_I wanted to say goodbye." Stefan's voice made her body tense. "I was afraid I'd be too late."_

"_My flight leaves at two." Damon answered coldly, apparently still angry from their earlier conversation. "I was just about to leave."_

"_Well, uhh..." Stefan chuckled, probably fumbling with something. "If you're ever around again, drop by sometime, don't be a stranger."_

"_If you're ever in Chicago..." Damon's voice sounded warmer. "You've got my number."_

"_Yeah."_

"_Well, goodbye little bro." Damon chuckled quietly. "It was good meeting you."_

"_You too." Stefan must have pulled him into a hug because she heard flesh collide. "Call sometime, will you fancy heart surgeon?"_

"_I'll call to congratulate you when you finally finish that book." He teased, smacking Stefan on the back. "Who knows? Maybe I'll even read it when I'm feeling particularly nice."_

"_Then I doubt you'll ever read it."_

"_Everyone needs a little romance once in a while." Damon rolled his eyes. "Speaking about romance, are you ever going to let go of me?"_

"_I'm sorry." Stefan laughed awkwardly, freeing Damon from the hug. "When you spend so much time around Elena, you start to pick up on the hugging thing."_

"_Your wife's a hugger, that's for sure." Damon's voice sounded teasing but she could hear the trace of bitterness in it. "But she's also a keeper."_

"_I know."_

"_Give her a couple of kids will you?" Damon sounded torn, his emotions audible in his voice. "Make her happy and all that."_

"_I'll give her kids when she wants them." Stefan's smile could be heard in his voice. "When she's ready to have them."_

"_Good. She should have them."_

_The hurt and torture could be heard in the edgy tone of his voice, making Stefan promise things he couldn't give her. The children she'd carry would never be his, he'd never play with them in the yard or pick them up from school to take them out for ice-cream. They would never sit in a doctor's office together to see their baby grow on an ultrasound; those were things he wouldn't give her. He could only give her so much of himself, love, comfort, and passion, things that probably would never measure up against his child in her arms._

"_Give me a baby."_

_She leaned against the doorpost, her eyes shimmering with tears, his eyes locking on hers as he walked back into the room, while Stefan was probably walking into the elevator right now. Two brothers, night and day, dark and light, two complete opposites and yet in some aspects so similar. One would make her dreams come true and love her unconditionally, comfortably. In the other she'd drown, her heart wrapped tightly with his so neither would be able to get out; their love would consume her, compensating for the dreams she had to leave behind._

"_I can't."_

"_It doesn't have to be now," she stepped forward, grabbing his hands in hers. "I can wait, I can wait five years or ten. There are a lot of women who're in their thirties before they have a baby, just give me a baby and I'll go with you."_

"_I can't."_

_A battlezone in his eyes, a war in his heart, a loss in his mind. He was fighting a battle that would determine the rest of his life, his own demons the opponent, his soul the territory. She knew he'd give her everything he could in a heartbeat, so long as it didn't mean hurting himself, facing the nightmares he had suffered as a child that made him believe he'd turn out the same as his father did. She knew it wasn't true, that he'd turn out to be a good dad if he'd give himself the chance, but convincing him of that same belief was something that was going to take years. And she only had minutes._

"_I'm sorry." He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his hands resting on her hips. "I can't do it."_

"_I know." She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his shoulder. "It's okay."_

"_I have to go."_

_And although he said the words, it didn't seem like he was planning on leaving anytime soon. Instead he buried his face in the crook of her neck, like he wanted to hide there, crawl into her so he'd never have to leave her. She clung to him like a child that didn't want to be taken away from its mother, away from the safe home it knew, grabbing him tighter, like she'd die after this moment. He gently pulled his head away from her neck, locking their gazes; she took a deep breath as she found hope in his eyes, wishing for something more than they were, waiting for her to say those three words. And she knew she could make him stay; if she only said those three words out loud, he'd unpack his bags and she'd still have him in her arms tomorrow. But it wasn't fair to either them, so she kept those words buried in her core, and it felt like the most painful thing she'd ever done._

_Tears rolled over her cheeks as she felt his arms loosen, his eyes darkening as she kept her lips tight together, fighting those words so she wouldn't hurt the both of them by making him stay longer. They wanted different things out of life, too different to meld them together and find a suitable solution. It was only when his lips pressed against hers that things made sense; soft, warm, strong, intoxicating. He was her drug, coursing through her vessels and veins, filling her bloodstream, making her crave him. And like quitting any drug, saying goodbye to it would be torture; but nothing compared to what would come after that, craving it every single second, fighting against every instinct to get back to it._

_The withdrawals started the second his lips fell from hers, the moment his arms were pulled away. Her eyes searched for his but didn't find them as he grabbed his bag from the floor and turned his back to her, pausing for a second like he was waiting for the words to escape her mouth or maybe he'd just changed his mind, momentarily picturing the same dreams as her, children, a white picket fence, his son in her arms. She extended her arms, her mouth falling open, outstretched fingers towards him when he resumed walking to the door, his hand pausing briefly on the handle. Then he pulled the door open without looking back, closing it behind him like it had been any other hotel room, not one that contained so many memories of the love, of the girl, he'd found in there. He seemed to leave those memories like he'd left her behind, and like she had feared, her heart seemed to lose its beat._

"Liam!"

"No!"

"Stay with us." Damon gave his son a stern look, holding the boy by his shoulder. "We don't want you to get lost in the cemetery."

"I hate you!"

Damon's hand fell immediately off the boy's shoulders, hateful blue eyes on hurt ones of the same hue, his son throwing words that held the power of a grenade into his face. He knew why those words were spoken; he'd blamed himself enough to know. But after three days of re-watching the tape of that operation over and over again with the support of the woman by his side, he could only come to one conclusion; he wasn't to blame. Unfortunately, the blue-eyed-boy didn't see it the same way; behind that ocean of blue, his father had killed his grandmother, hatred rested in those waves, disbelief because he'd have to say goodbye to a person he loved, and death was a strange concept for him until now.

"He doesn't mean it." Elena squeezed his hand, her face looking worn from crying the past three days. "He just doesn't know how to deal with this, I'll talk to him."

"You already have enough to deal with." He draped his arm around her waist, pulling her into his side. "I'll talk to him."

"He'll come around." She whispered into his ear, placing her head on his shoulder. "He loves you too much to stay mad at you for long."

"Let's hope so."

Elena wrapped her arms around his waist as they walked to the exit of the cemetery, her father supported by Caroline and Tyler while Liam told Stefan to carry him. She could feel Damon's eyes on the image in front of them, his son in someone else's arms, a picture he'd never seen before. And she knew why, because like father like son, Liam knew how to hurt someone the most, what to do to cause pain, what to say to cause heartbreak. It was a trait the blue-eyed-men in her life shared, like the good things they shared, they also shared the worst; they'd both inflict their own pain on someone else because they didn't want to hurt alone.

"Do you think I'll make a good dad?" He looked down at her, hurt swimming in her ocean of blue. "If you and I are going to make this work, I'm going to be his dad and I don't know if I can..."

"Shh." She put her finger to his mouth, shaking her head. "Were you never mad at your mom when you were a child? That didn't mean that you didn't love her or that she was a bad mother. You were just a child and you didn't understand her reasons; it's the same with him. He adores you won't just be a good dad, you're going to be an amazing dad to him."

"I don't know, Elena." He looked down to the ground, biting his bottom lip. "My father..."

"You are not Giuseppe." She took his face between her palms, shaking it slightly. "You care that Liam has been ignoring you for the past three days, it kills you that he says he hates you when all you want to do is take him in your arms and make his pain go away. That's what makes you a dad. Giuseppe scarred you and I believe it's because he hurt you that you'd never do that to our son, because you know that pain and that anger stay for the rest of your life."

"How can you have so much faith in me?"

"Because I love you, because I know our son loves you, and because you were always supposed to be his dad."

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><p>"<em>Oh my beautiful girl, how did you get yourself into such a mess?"<em>

"_He's gone, Daddy."_

_Her voice broke, the same pain behind it as her heart that seemed to break over and over again, every piece breaking into another one until fractures of a heart that used to beat so strongly were spread inside the hole of her chest. The only person in the world that could glue those pieces back together was her father, the man that had managed to make her smile through her darkest periods; and she wanted to smile, for the other man she had left in her life, the husband she'd sworn to love for the rest of her days, which she'd dedicate to making him happy because she didn't want her misery to drag him down with her._

"_He's not gone yet." Grayson stroked her cheek, smiling softly. "It's another hour before his plane leaves."_

"_Don't say things like that." Her lips formed a hard line, her eyes tearing up again. "I don't want to hear it."_

"_Well, you'll have to hear it." Grayson zipped the bag he was carrying open. "Because I'm here to teach you."_

"_To teach me what?" She threw her arms up, shouting the words. "That there's a perfect man out there but he can't give you what you want so you'll just have to live the rest of your life without him. Life already taught me that lesson, Dad. No need for you to repeat it."_

"_Stop the self-pity, Elena." Grayson pulled a doll out of the bag and pushed it into her arms. "Hold this."_

"_What is this?" She looked down at the baby doll in her arms. "What am I supposed to do with it?"_

"_Just hold it and look at it." Grayson stood in front of her. "Imagine Stefan's baby in your arms; not Damon's, Stefan's."_

_The baby in her arms suddenly came to life in her imagination, sucking on a pacifier, its tiny fingers holding the fabric of her shirt, its green eyes looking up at her, her hand stroking the blond hairs on its head. A warmth swelled and seemed to spread in her heart, the squirming baby in her arms the cause of it, her purpose in life clear. But it wasn't long until her heart started fighting her imagination, green fought against blue, losing the struggle because her heart seemed to long for the color so strongly, blond hairs were defeated by black, Stefan's features quickly replaced by those she knew all too well. It was a scene she clung to so desperately; knowing it would never be her reality, she fought it with her mind but her heart knew what it wanted, the child in her arms, the blue-eyed-boy with raven black hair and a smile to die for; her heart was fighting a battle, her mind threatening to concur; until her soul stepped into the war zone._

"_You can let go of it now." Grayson took the doll out of her arms, facing her teary eyes. "It's time for the next step."_

"_What's that?"_

"_Hold me." Her father stepped closer so he was in her personal space. "Pretend that I'm Damon."_

_First she felt the urge to laugh a humorless laugh, but as she looked into her father's wise old eyes, where no amusement could be found, she started seeing something different. The gray eyes became brighter, changing into a deep blue, the ocean she'd drowned in time and again. As her hands rested on his arms, she felt them become stronger under her palms, a body hardening against her chest, shaping into hers until it fit perfectly, like it always had. Then those strong arms wrapped around her and every second longer she was in his embrace, she felt more and more the urge to crawl into him, to let him be her home for the rest of her eternity. That feeling she'd had while holding Stefan's baby was gone, overshadowed by one thing, the single thing that could seem to make her happy, Damon in her arms._

"_Do your arms feel empty now?"_

"_No." _

"_Do you think you'll be happy with Stefan when you're in love with someone else?"_

"_No."_

"_Do you need a baby to be happy?"_

"_No."_

"_Do you want me to drive you to the airport?"_

_The question caught her off guard; her body tensed, her breathing hitched, her eyes widened, and her voice fell away. There she was standing, choosing a future while she thought she had already picked one; the one with the babies around her, a husband that would give her children and love her unconditionally; it seemed like everything she needed in her head to be happy, everything she'd ever wanted. But now that her other future had left, ready to step on a plane and leave a gaping hole in her life, a hole that would always tear bigger, leaving her a shell of who she used to be and how she used to love. She thought she'd have it all if she just chased what she'd always wanted, until now; picturing those blue eyes gazing into hers, so much love reflecting in them that she doubted anyone would ever be able to love her more. The choice was there again, poking her brain, the answer clear, but her mind was fighting against what her heart wanted. There would be no children, but she'd be embraced with love, passion, devotion; all those other things she'd always wanted. _

"_Yes."_

"_Get your bags."_

"Get your bags."

"No!" Angry young blue eyes stared into matching older blue ones. "I don't want to go with you!"

"Then it's a good thing you don't have a choice in the matter." Damon crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. "Now stop being stubborn or I'll put you in daycare for the rest of the week."

"Only babies go to daycare."

"My bad." Damon rolled his eyes in mock annoyance. "Maybe if you didn't act like such a crying baby then I wouldn't take you for one."

"You're the worst daddy in the world!"

"That seems to be what you tell all your dads."

Damon's eyes followed his son's form as it stomped back up the stairs; his heart squeezed together painfully, knowing his son was going through the same pain, they'd both lost someone in some way. Liam lost his grandmother, for the first time in his young life confronted with the pain that kind of loss brought. He had lost his son, the smile that brought him happiness in the midst of his darkness, the tiny arms that had the power to make him forget about his worries, the blue eyes that reminded him of the fact that there was someone relying on him, that he had a purpose in life.

"You're handling it wrong." Caroline appeared in the hallway, her hand resting on her belly. "You're handling it like Stefan would have and we all know Liam doesn't like Stefan."

"I've tried talking to him, Caroline. He just doesn't want to listen." He lifted his shoulders, defeated. "I don't know what to do anymore, I try to talk to him and he runs away."

"Because you let him run away." Caroline gave him a tight smile. "Force him to listen to you, because the longer you let him get away with it, the more things he's going to say that are going to hurt the both of you."

"He sure knows what to say to make it hurt."

"Must be genetic." Caroline cocked her head to the side, giving him a knowing look. "He's you. When someone lashes out at you, you lash back. When someone's kind to you, you'll do anything for them. It's how Elena gets you to do everything she wants; it's how she got through the past five years with Liam."

"Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a father."

"You don't see it Damon but the rest of us do." She placed her hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "He's been so happy since you came into his life, he's surrounded by pain and death, but somehow that little boy manages to keep on smiling, and that's because you came into his life."

"I just want him to be happy." He bit his bottom lip, listening to Liam upstairs. "And I don't know if I'll be able to keep him happy."

"The fact that you worry about that makes you a father."

He shared a long look with Caroline before she pulled away and turned to meet Liam who was pattering down the stairs, dragging his bag behind him. Damon swallowed the lump in his throat as Liam walked into Caroline's arm to give her a hug, leaving a kiss on her cheek. Then his son turned back to him, dropping his bag at his father's feet, giving him a look that could kill. And all he wanted to do was take his boy in his arms, hug him tight and tell him he'd love him until his last day. He'd take the pain away in those young blue eyes, he'd bring his grandmother back so he could eat ice cream with her for another decade, but all those things were impossible because life had no rewind button.

"Ready to go?"

"I still don't want to go with you." Liam crossed his arms in front of him, pouting. "Everyone is sad; Mommy is sad, Grandpa is sad, I don't want to be sad too."

The realization hit Damon like a brick wall; here was his son, acting the same way he'd spent most of his life, reflecting his feelings with anger. Avoiding pain and running away from it had been the technique he used, only to see it now used by his little boy; outwardly angry at people so he wouldn't have to show he was hurting on the inside. He grew up without a father, angry at the world for not having one; his son grew up with a father, angry at the world because that father didn't understand him. And now he did have someone that understood him, but that someone was the cause of his pain because he'd failed; that parent that was supposed to make everything alright hadn't and betrayal cut him deep.

"Can I sit in front?"

"Yeah." Damon held the door of the car open for him. "Just buckle up."

He closed the door as Liam crawled into the car, carrying his backpack. With a sigh Damon walked around the car and took a seat behind the wheel, watching his son out of the corner of his eye as he put the car in drive. Liam sat silently next to him, watching out the window, his arms tightly crossed in front of his chest, the sour look still on his young face. And he knew what was going on behind those hard blue eyes, he knew it like he knew himself; why that little boy chose to point his rage at him, he'd done the same when he was younger; blaming the person that he knew loved him unconditionally.

"You're not mad at me." Damon broke the lingering silence. "You are mad but you're just mad at me because you feel like you need someone to blame."

"You let Granny die!" Liam's eyes snapped to his, filled with unshed tears. "You killed her! I'll hate you forever."

"I didn't let her die." Damon held the steering wheel in a tight grip. "You know I did everything I could to save her, you're a smart boy."

"Granny is gone, Mommy and Daddy don't live together anymore because of you and when you and Mommy get into a fight you'll leave and Mommy will be unhappy again!" Tears ran down the boy's cheeks as he yelled at the world in the small space of the car. "It's all your fault. You ruined everything!"

The guilt seeped into his body, leaving his breathing heavy, his hands clenching into fists around the wheel, his heart pounding in his chest, tears fighting to get out. And he didn't know what hurt the most, the tears that were streaming down his boy's face, the angry tone he'd used or the words he'd spoken, they all seemed to hit him with the same impact; the blame he'd laid upon him, the thoughts that streamed through his son's mind, the fear that seemed to drive him, all held by that young soul.

"I already told you I'll never leave you, Liam." He whispered into the dark car. "I could never leave you, you're my son."

"I know Daddy's eyes aren't blue." Liam curled up in the seat, turning to the window. "But he's my daddy because you were never here and you didn't care about me."

"I know I was supposed to be your dad a long time ago." His eyes ran over Liam's back. "But don't say I was never here and don't say I didn't care about you, I always cared about you."

"You were never here."

"That you didn't see me doesn't mean I wasn't here." He swallowed the lump in his throat, fixing his eyes on the dark road. "I sat next to your bed the whole night when you were three and had a ruptured appendix, you slept on my chest the first night you were born, so don't say that I wasn't here; and never say that I didn't care about you when I thought about you everyday."

"Does Mommy know?"

"No."

"Why didn't you stay?" Tears rolled over his cheeks, his voice shaky. "Didn't you want to be my daddy?"

He hit the brake so hard that the car skidded to a sudden stop on the vacant road, Liam flying forward and then back into his seat, his young blue eyes filled with panic as his father rested his forehead against the wheel, burying his hands in his hair. After a minute Damon lifted his head, finding Liam watching him with those big blue eyes, a dried path of tears covering his face, his mouth hanging open; and all he could think about was that his boy was feeling the same things as he had been feeling the past thirty-five years. Unwanted, unloved, a father that didn't care if he lived or died, thoughts that would scar him for the rest of his life as they had scarred him.

"Don't ever think that it was your fault." He reached for Liam's cheek. "I was a coward and I made a lot of mistakes, letting your mom walk out the door five years ago being the biggest one; but I'm here to make it right and I don't expect you to forgive me but I want you to know that I'm here, and I'm here to stay."

"So you're never going to leave again," Liam's eyes lit up with hope. "Ever?"

"I'll be here every second of every day for the rest of your life." He nodded to reassure him, smiling. "I promise you that."

Liam jumped into his lap faster than he could catch him, his small arms wrapping around his neck, burying his head in Damon's shoulder, letting the last tears escape him. And all Damon could do was hold him in his embrace, so tightly that he was almost scared he'd suffocated him. But after years of not knowing his son, having him finally here in his arms, aware of the knowledge that they didn't just share the same character traits but the same genes, made him feel like he was finally a father; that he'd finally succeeded at something in life, because no job, no amount of money in the world or the most expensive car on earth could measure up against the love of your child. He'd struggled for years with himself, convinced of the fact that he didn't want to be a father, despite all the people that tried to tell him otherwise; and here was a five-year-old-boy proving to him every day that he could be a father, that this boy had been born to be his son.

"Daddy." Liam whispered into his shoulder, sobbing softly. "I know you didn't want Granny to die."

"It's okay, buddy." He placed a kiss on his forehead. "I know you're hurt, it's okay."

Liam placed his head back against his father's shoulder, breathing quietly, his eyes fluttering, tired from crying. Damon held him while he stared ahead, following the headlights of the car that lit the vacant road and for the first time in his life he felt at peace with himself, like he found that quiet place in his life he'd been looking for, like he'd found that piece of himself that seemed to have been missing in his life. He held his son in his arms, a child he'd fathered almost six years ago, held after he'd been born five years ago, left after holding his hand all night two years ago and finally found again after those years of wondering what it would be like to have this moment, to sit in an expensive car on a vacant road with his tired son in his arms.

"Daddy?" Liam struggled to keep his eyes open, his voice tired. "I think you're my best friend."

"I think you're mine too, buddy."

* * *

><p>"<em>I need to get on that flight to Chicago."<em>

"_I'm sorry, Miss. The flight is full."_

_The hidden meaning behind those words slammed into her, the power behind them making her want to crumble into a million pieces on the ground. Words that were probably a daily-business for this person in front of her, but that person didn't know that a future depended on those words, that they had the power to change life. That they could break a family into two, only so she could form a new one with the man she was supposed to be with, a man that was sitting on that plane, thinking she had chosen a different path, a path without him. _

"_You don't get it! The love of my life is on that plane." She did a little jump in front of the desk, her eyes wide. "I'll even sit on the toilet the whole flight, I don't care. Just get me on it."_

"_I'm sorry, Miss..."_

"_No!"_

"_Elena." Her father placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her around to meet him. "Calm down. We'll get you on the next flight."_

"_If I don't go now then I might change my mind and I don't want to change my mind." She shook her head feverishly. "I want to be with Damon and I don't want Stefan to call me in those two hours and persuade me to come home. I need to get on that plane."_

_Her heart was beating frantically in her chest, like it would explode if it didn't get to the man it loved in a matter of seconds. Shivers ran down her spine at the mere thought of going back to a marriage she didn't want, and though she'd run away from it, she knew if she got a call and her husband begged her to come back to him, she would picture that white picket fence and children again in her head. Doubts would rise again within her and that was the last thing she wanted after she had made up her mind, after she had packed her bags and run away from everything she thought she ever wanted._

"_Elena Gilbert?" The lady behind the desk made her head snap around. "Are you Elena Gilbert?"_

"_That's me."_

"_Damon Salvatore left a ticket for you." She smiled gently, waving the ticket in the air. "If you give me your papers, I can check you in."_

"_Thank you." She ran back to the desk, throwing her driver's license on it. "Thank you so much."_

"_It's too late to check-in your luggage though."_

"_I don't care." She gave the lady a bright smile, turning back to her father. "Can you get my bags to me?"_

"_Of course I can." Grayson smiled broadly. "Go get your man."_

"_I love you, Dad." She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I'll call you when the plane lands."_

"_I love you too, Elena." He squeezed her tightly before letting go. "Be safe, my darling."_

_She slung her purse over her shoulder and grabbed her ticket and ID from the desk, giving her father one last look before speeding through the first class security checkpoint and running flat out through the terminal. Everything around her was buzzing but her mind seemed to be in a quiet place, her legs running faster with every second, her breathing heavier with every step but none of it seemed to matter, she was running towards her freedom, towards her love and at some point it felt like she was floating on air. While panic washed over her body as she saw the hostess almost close the door in front of her, it still felt like she was in a happy place, a silent place in the hysteria around her. _

"_You're in first class, Miss." The hostess smiled politely. "I'll show you to your seat."_

_She nodded like a lunatic with a smile so bright she thought it might have made the hostess blind. Her heart squeezed in anticipation as she entered the first class cabin, the hostess pointing to her seat before disappearing back behind the curtains. Her eyes glanced nervously to the place she'd been pointed to, finding the raven black hair in the seat next to hers, his head turned to the window. A thousand thoughts ran through her head while she slowly walked through the aisle, the strongest being how could anyone not choose him, how could she not choose him when he was able to light her body on fire with passion, love her with his last breath, and make her feel safe in a burning house. It was that thought that brought tears to her eyes, she'd almost said goodbye to him; her lover, her companion, her soul's eternal mate. She'd never believe that this was true, that she had found that one person made for her, it seemed like a dream, until his blue eyes locked on hers._

"_Elena?"_

"_I love you so much."_

_The words tumbled out of her mouth, her body tumbling into his lap, her lips falling on his as she grabbed his head between her palms, banishing the memory of his eyes filled with disbelief in her head. He didn't need to worry anymore, she was here, ready to be his, to spend her life next to him and love him every single day of it. And now that she was here in his arms, feeling his lips answer hers, his hands roaming over her body, it seemed like the obvious choice; the man you love more than anything else in the world, in your arms, safe, and there for you to love and cherish the rest of your life. A loveless marriage, even with children, would never measure up to this feeling, because she'd never be able to make her children happy if she weren't happy herself._

"_I love you so much." She whispered between breaths, leaving kisses on his mouth. "More than anything in the world."_

"_What about Stefan and babies and everything?" _

"_I want you more than those things." She stroked his cheek, trying to soothe his vulnerable eyes. "I want you and if that means no babies, then that's okay because I'll have you. I don't want to spend my life raising the children of a man I don't love. I want to spend my life loving you."_

"_Miss, the seat belt sign is on." _

_She couldn't pull her eyes away from his as the hostess spoke to her, instead staying in his lap, holding his face in her hands, and staring into her ocean of blue like she'd die if she pulled her eyes away from it. And all she could see in those waves of blue was happiness because she was here in his arms. And she wanted to assure him that he'd never again have to fear losing her to someone else, she was there to let him put a ring around her finger and to carry his children, if he ever changed his mind. Never again would someone else wake up next to her, it would be his place from now on, and she'd never let anyone come between them again; she'd die before she let that happen. _

"_Miss, the seat belt sign." _

"_Okay-okay. I heard you." She kept her eyes locked onto Damon's, grinning as he grinned back at her. "I guess I'll have to disentangle myself from you."_

"_They're very persistent about the whole seat belt thing." He rolled his eyes, smiling broadly. "Don't worry, you can sit in my lap again once we're in the air."_

"_Only when we're in the air?"_

"_How long do you wish to sit there?"_

"_For the rest of my life." She pecked his lips softly, running her fingers through his hair. "How does that sound to you?"_

"_Not long enough."_

_She had to fight the tears as she saw the emotions in his eyes, the pure devotion reflecting in them. And all she wanted to do was crawl in to him so they'd never be apart again, so even when they'd cut him into pieces, he wouldn't lose her; she'd always be with him, in every part of his life and body. It seemed like it was always meant to be that way, her by his side, and he seemed to have known it all along. He seemed to have accepted a long time ago that she was it for him, only to get his heart stamped on when she refused him; but somehow he never gave up hope, the ticket that had been waiting for her saying enough of the hopes he had for the future, of who he wanted to spend it with. _

"_Miss, the seat belt sign is on."_

"_Okay okay!" She crawled off Damon's lap, buckling herself up in the chair next to him. "Can't they see we're spilling our emotions?"_

"_Elena?" _

_His blue eyes locked onto hers, the center of her universe like they always had been, like they always would be. Because she was going to turn gray next to him, sit somewhere on a porch by his side on some ranch, maybe one day surrounded by their children and grandchildren; but if that wasn't the case, they'd still sit there completely happy because they were together, their lives lived with so much love that no one would ever doubt how much love there had been between them. _

"_I love you too."_

"_And that's what's going to make everything okay." She rested her head against his shoulder, squeezing his hand in hers. "We're going to be okay."_

"We're going to be okay."

He pulled her closer as he lay down behind her, pulling her body to his so he spooned her from behind. She shuffled slightly so she was more comfortable in his arms, a contented little sound escaping her throat, enjoying his embrace, knowing she'd missed it for far too long. She reveled in it these days, finally understanding how precious it was, like someone had hit her on the head with hammer and opened her eyes to how much she'd taken it for granted five years ago.

"You're home." She turned her head to meet his gaze. "Finally."

"Liam and I took a detour." He snuggled his head into the crook her neck. "I think he likes me again."

"I'm happy to hear that." She made circles on his arm, stroking the back of his hand. "It's the first time he's lost someone, it's been hard on him."

"It wore him out, he fell asleep in the car." He placed a kiss against her bare shoulder. "I tucked him into bed, I don't think we'll hear him tonight."

"Good." She turned around in his embrace, pecking his lips. "I want you to myself tonight."

And that's how her lips found his, falling together in that familiar pace, something they'd perfected five years ago. She wondered how she had gone without it, without him next to her to kiss her pain away and get her through the day. It seemed impossible, yet somehow she had managed because his son had been in her arms, but every year that son gained, it became harder for her to live just on the love of his child; she needed him, back in her arms, in her bed, next to her side, where he belonged, and he hadn't come a moment too soon. She wondered how many more hours longer she would have survived without those blue eyes on hers.

"How's my dad still breathing?" She whispered into the crook of his neck. "I wouldn't live on if I lost you."

"Shh." He placed a kiss on top of her head, hugging her tight. "Don't say things like that, I don't want to think about it."

"Next time I walk out the door, remind me of the pain of the past five years." She tried to smile, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Remind me that I'm nothing without you and I'll immediately come back to fight with you."

"Next time I let you walk out the door, throw something at my head." He whispered against her crown. "It was the most stupid thing I've ever done."

"You've got yourself a deal, Salvatore."

"Good night, Elena."

"Who says I'm ready to say goodnight?" She snuggled closer, pushing her leg between his. "Maybe I want to cuddle some more."

"You had a long day." He stroked a stray of hair back behind her ear. "You can barely keep your eyes open."

"I can't believe we buried my mother today." She bit her bottom lip, shaking her head. "It seems surreal."

"It's going to be okay."

"I know." She nodded gently. "It will just hurt a lot before things are okay again."

He could only hold her in silence, watching the tears stream down her face, her arms wrapped tightly around him, her face buried in the crook of his neck. And he held her for the longest time until her eyes started to flutter and she finally fell asleep while he watched her, finding the mother of his son, his lover, the woman that had stolen his heart a long time ago, finally back in his arms where she belonged.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, you can sleep here." He shook his head with a smile, rolling his eyes at his son standing by their bed. "Just don't snore like last night."

"I don't snore." Liam crawled on top of the bed, shuffling beneath the sheets. "You snore."

"I don't snore."

"Mommy mumbles in her sleep."

"No argument there." He chuckled quietly, feeling his son's feet against his legs. "Last night she said something about Nutella."

"I like Nutella."

"Everyone likes Nutella, buddy."

Liam chuckled and then grew silent, Elena's breathing the only sound in the room while Liam shuffled on his side next to him. And he wondered how he'd gotten here, his family, picture perfect, something he thought he'd never have, something he thought he'd never want, but here he was, his beautiful girl in his arms, finally, his son sleeping next to him, finally. It had taken so many years before he realized he'd always wanted to be in this moment, with his family in the same bed, just enjoying the presence of one another.

"Daddy, I hear the doorbell."

"I heard it too." He carefully disentangled himself from Elena and crawled over Liam out of the bed. "Stay here while I go look who it is."

"You should pull some clothes on, you don't want to scare them away."

"No joking about the size of my penis." He pinched Liam's cheek, chuckling. "Let's hope you're so fortunate when you grow up."

"Daddy!" Liam covered his ears, his eyes widening. "That was not what I meant!"

"My bad."

He pulled his jeans back on and left his son behind in the bed with a smile when he walked out of the room. The stairs squeaked underneath his feet as he descended them, slipping past Grayson who lay asleep on the couch. He got to the front door and quietly pulled it open, coming face to face with the last person he'd expected to see here. Blue on blue were at war, one pair amused, the other confused.

"Stop acting like a fish, Damon."

"Mom?"

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading, please leave your thoughts in a review! <strong>


	19. You're my wonderwall

Huge thank you to **LaylaReyne** for being an amazing beta. I've received multiple messages asking me if I gave up on this story, no I didn't. I'm just really busy with college and life. But here it finally is, we're getting near the end, only a few chapters left. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 19

'You're my wonderwall'

Fate is the most unexpected visitor in life. It guides the course of one's existence, brings a person from point a to point b, leaves bumps in the road for an individual to overcome. It's something we cannot see, yet we know it's there and hovering above us. It controls us while we cannot control it, it's our enemy but we learn to embrace it. Fate is a luxury in life, because the human mind gets clouded and makes the wrong decisions. Fate is what puts us on this earth and ultimately removes us from it. Fate, we accept it in times of happiness and fight it in times of need.

Is love fate?

It's the question that occupied her mind as she ran her fingers through the black locks over and over again. Is a person born for another one? Is it fate's decision if you get to meet that person? Did fate bring her to the man she was meant for?

"Good morning."

Her hand moved to cup his cheek, her thumb running over the stubble on his chin. A smile appeared on his face as his blue eyes slowly opened to meet hers. And her heart stopped for a second to appreciate his presence, because it had lived without him, lived before him, and lived with him; it knew him better than it knew the love for anybody else. It wasn't pure love like the kind for her son; it was a dark, consuming, life-changing love that had left her aching and needy, desperate for one man.

"Good morning beautiful."

She smiled and brought her head down to meet his lips, finding that perfect pace so their lips could gently form to one another, molding into one. And everything was perfect in the world once his taste invaded her mouth, his scent lingering in her nostrils. She wasn't living those dreams anymore – the ones in which she ached to really feel his touch, to inhale his scent for one last time, knowing perfectly how his presence calmed her down, but it couldn't be reached in her dreams. For five years, the images had been in her head at night, but without everything that made them worth living - no smell to revel in, no feeling of warm arms, no taste of his skin. Most people would have called them dreams, but being reminded of what she once had every night, without having everything of him, was a nightmare to her, a torture she had to go through for way too many years.

"Where is our son?" He pulled his lips away from her, looking at the empty space behind him. "He fell asleep here."

"My dad kidnapped him. He took him to the bakery to get us breakfast." She smiled softly as she snuggled closer to him. "I think being with Liam helps him cope with losing Mom."

"Liam has the tendency to get your mind off of things," He chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "With all his babbling."

"He got that from you."

"He definitely did _not_ get that from me." He pinched her nose, laughing as Elena wiggled her way free. "It's all your genes."

"Oh, shut up."

"Make me."

A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes as he gave her that smirk, waggling his eyebrows. She shot up and plastered her mouth to his, pushing him on his back against the covers and crawling on top of him so his hips were locked between her thighs. A low growl escaped him as she pulled on his bottom lip with her teeth, his hands finding their way under the material of her silk night gown, traveling over her back until they paused and his thumbs found their way to the sides of her breasts. She pulled her lips away to catch her breath as his thumbs started rubbing circles on her skin, his blue eyes watching her; finding her with tousled hair, wild brown eyes, and parted lips - a woman that had been waiting for five long years to be loved again by the only man that could love her the way she wanted to be, needed to be.

They weren't on a cold bathroom floor this time, jumping each other like beasts. They were human now, with all the time in the world to make love to one another. And everything they wanted to do but didn't do in that bathroom, they took the time to do now, to taste and inhale one another; her tongue traveling from his neck to his collar bone, her hands traveling over his chest, feeling the muscles beneath her palms. She pulled away as he tried to pull the night gown over her head, his eyes narrowing as he found the teasing smile on her face.

"Don't you know that men are really visual?"

"I do know." She slid down his chest, her panties rubbing over his hardness. "But I also know that you have an excellent imagination."

"You're going to torture me?"

"Last week you took me like a beast on the bathroom floor." She dipped her tongue into his belly button, feeling him squirm. "This is going to be slow, excruciatingly slow."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Doesn't matter." Her fingers closed around the waistband of his boxers. "I remember I was as eager as you."

She returned his smile and lowered her head back down, kissing his stomach, her fingers slowly peeling the fabric of his boxers away from his skin. She leaned on her feet so she could slide the underwear off his legs, throwing them on the ground next to the bed. And as she pulled her hair back behind her head and started placing gentle pecks on his length, she realized she wasn't that naive girl from five years ago anymore. She was confident now, back in his arms, not afraid anymore to take what she wanted, to do as she pleased. She licked her way up the base of his length and closed her mouth around the tip, watching his head fall back in the pillow, as his lips parted, his eyes fluttered shut and his fingers clawed at the sheets beneath him.

"Don't stop."

"_Don't stop." _

_She threw her head back into the pillows, her hand gripping the black locks as he sucked on her wet flesh. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip, one of her hands clawing at the sheet that covered his head, keeping him in place. Her legs were resting on his shoulders, starting to feel numb as he drove her to yet another orgasm. With a last pull of his lips on her clit, her body started shaking, sweat drops running between her breasts, her eyes fighting to stay open, little waves running up in her belly and over her spine. He dipped his tongue inside of her core as she kept shaking, her legs wrapping around his neck so his head was captured between her thighs, his thumb keeping pressure on her clit, letting her enjoy the moment longer._

_While she came down from her high, he took the liberty to kiss the insides of her thighs, rubbing circles on the outsides, his hands holding her hips in place. He slowly pecked his way back up, kissing her pubic bone, hip bone, navel, the undersides of her breasts, the spot between her breasts, her collar bone, until he finally settled his head in the crook of her neck. She sighed in contentment as he laid down on her, his chest pressing her bosom flat, skin against skin, nose to nose. _

"_You get fifteen minutes to recover." She kissed his sweat-clad forehead, chuckling softly. "Then we're doing that again."_

"_Woman, you're trying to kill me."_

"_You're just so good at it."_

"_Hmm." He gazed up at her, pecking her lips. "How can you still even feel your legs?"_

"_I can't." She gave him a beaming smile, laughing freely. "But you and I are not leaving this bed today so I don't need to feel them."_

"_I don't want to be a Buzzkill Bob." He stroked the lose strands of hair back behind her ear. "But I'm on call tonight."_

"_Which means I won't have you in bed next to me?" She pouted, wrapping her arms tighter around him. "I already hate the thought."_

"_Me too."_

_He mimicked her pout before pressing his lips against hers, hugging her body tighter against his, rolling on his side so she could drape her leg over his hip and squeeze herself against his warm body. He let his hand slide over her leg to her back and up her spine, coming to rest on the side of her face, their lips never breaking, molding against one another like they'd been doing all night. And for the first time in her life, everything seemed perfect; she should have more things on her mind right now than at any other point in her life, yet she seemed more free than at any other time in her past twenty years. They'd arrived here last night, dropping their bags to the floor, finding each other in the bedroom, and sealing the words they'd spoken hours before. _

"_Damon?" _

"_Mom?"_

"_Elena?"_

"_Lauren?"_

_She pulled the sheets up to cover her chest, knowing it didn't matter but feeling like that was what you were supposed to do when your boyfriend's mother caught the two of you in bed together. But as the surprise faded away from Lauren's face, she realized it wasn't the naked bodies or the woman in her son's bed that had taken her by surprise - it was her. The older woman seemed as surprised to find her back with her son again as she was to be there. And that theory was only confirmed when Lauren's blue eyes locked on her wedding finger, finding it bare. It made her self-aware and look down at her naked finger, knowing where her ring was at that exact moment, knowing her husband had probably found it when he got home last night, discovering that his wife had left him without any answers. _

"_I'm going to ask for my spare key back."_

_Damon's grunt made her snap out of her thoughts, finding the doorway empty. He plopped back down with his head in the pillow, looking up at her with those blue eyes. A frown formed on his face as he took in her expression, his hand coming up to cup her cheek, his thumb stroking her skin in a comforting way, and it made her want to cry. Here he was, the dream she'd wanted to live since the moment he stepped into her life. Here she was, loved by him, ready to start their lives together, her marriage in the past, and her heart filled with his being._

"_What's wrong?" He pushed himself up on his elbow, searching her face. "Don't worry about my mom. She'll only use this against us for the next decade." _

"_It's not that." She shook her head, smiling weakly. "I just realized that I have a lot of phone calls to make and things to take care of." _

"_Take your time." He squeezed her hand and left a kiss on her cheek. "Breakfast will be waiting for you when you're ready."_

_It seemed like he knew as well as her which call needed to be made. She didn't need to speak the words for him to know that there was someone waiting for her at home, hoping for her to return, and whose prayers would be left unanswered. Because she was where she wanted to be, with the man she wanted to be with, and that same man was handing her the phone while he crawled out of bed and found his jeans on the ground, pulling them on quickly before giving her one last look and walking through the door to find his mother. _

"_Elena?"_

_The phone didn't even ring a second time before the sigh of relief came through it, like she had been missing all night and was finally found. But she hadn't been missing; being missing would have meant she was lost, but instead she had found her way. Nevertheless, hearing her husband's voice and the terror behind it, imagining the pain and worry he must have suffered through the past night, caused her voice to disappear. _

"_Ste...ee..fan?" _

"_Where are you sweetie?" He whispered into the phone, his voice breaking. "I've been so worried, I couldn't reach you and no one knew where you were..."_

"_I'm not coming back, Stefan."_

_A pregnant silence fell between the two of them, Stefan's breath hitching and hers heavy, because neither of them had ever expected to be in this situation. But now they were here and she wanted to slap herself in the face for being so stupid. She'd thought she'd fallen in love, only to realize years later how loving someone really felt, how it was able to consume you and take over your every emotion. She'd thought he was the one, that he was the dream, and she'd married him to live that dream, but at the end of the day that marriage turned out to be a nightmare. _

"_What?" Stefan finally found his voice, a raspy tone. "I don't know what you mean."_

"_I'm leaving you, Stefan." Tears welled up in her eyes, her voice pitching. "And I'm sorry that I have to tell you this way, but I had to make a choice and I chose this."_

"_You chose what?"_

"_I chose Damon."_

_Tears streamed down her cheeks as Stefan broke apart. He didn't make a sound, he didn't say a thing, and he didn't have to. Because who wouldn't break apart when you heard the brother you had recently found was the reason your marriage fell apart? _

"_We've been going behind your back for months, and I'm so sorry, Stefan." She choked on her own words. "And I know you trusted me and him, and I'm sorry we betrayed that trust."_

"_You're leaving me?"_

"_Yes."_

_It seemed like the words finally got through to him - his wife fell in love with another man, that man being the brother he'd just found. And she couldn't imagine the emotions he was going through, anger, hurt, disappointment, betrayal, all because fate had chosen to bring two people together and let them fall in love. It seemed unfair to him, yet to her it was the best thing that had ever happened._

"_Fuck you, Elena."_

_Her body relaxed at the same time the line was disconnected, a weight falling off her shoulders although the tears wouldn't stop streaming from her eyes. In her mind, her dreams were crushed, erased by that one phone call; the children and the white picket fence wouldn't be part of her life. But a new future formed in her head; love, so much love that she'd drown in it, talks, sharing her every thought with the person she'd spend her life with, passion, her body on fire every night, desperate to have his against it. It was as if she was a new person, someone who had decided that just an understanding relationship wasn't enough anymore now that she had tasted what it could be like. So she chased the new things her body and soul seemed to crave, all the way to Chicago._

"_You really gave up everything for him."_

_Her head snapped around, her brown eyes locking on Lauren's blue ones. She smiled tightly and wiped the tears off her cheeks, looking down at the ground, finding the wooden patterns more interesting than anything else in that moment. The bed shifted beside her as Lauren sat down, her presence seeming to bring some kind of comfort yet a tension at the same time. This woman had been nothing but nice to her the week she'd stayed here, but it wasn't the kind of friendly where she locked a new daughter in her heart; it was the kind of friendly where you talk to your son's new girlfriend and try to make her feel comfortable, thinking you probably won't see her again after that one week._

"_I love him." She turned her eyes back to Lauren's, shrugging. "I want to be with him and escaping from that small town was part of it."_

"_When I got Damon," Lauren took a deep breath, fidgeting. "I lost everything too."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_My family, they were wealthy but they were also religious." Lauren swallowed back the lump in her throat. "When I got pregnant with Damon, they forbid me to go out in public and they prepared everything to give the baby up for adoption."_

"_But you didn't agree."_

"_They wanted to act like their daughter never got pregnant, and after he was born, they wanted to forget he ever existed." Lauren shook her head, pressing her lips together. "And I went along with it because I didn't want to let them down."_

"_What changed?"_

"_He was born." Lauren whispered, a small smile playing on her lips. "They put him on my chest and he was screaming his lungs out, and in that moment it seemed like my life finally had meaning - I had a boy to raise and take care of. They couldn't take that from me."_

"_You couldn't let him go because he was a part of Giuseppe?"_

"_I couldn't let him go because he was a part of me." Lauren's clear blue eyes locked onto her brown ones. "I carried him, he grew in my stomach, I felt him come to life in there and I put him on this earth. That he wasn't conceived with love didn't mean that he wasn't loved. When I look at him, I don't see Giuseppe. I see me. A woman who can't look at her child because she sees his or her father in them, can't look into a mirror either."_

"_I've never looked at it that way." Elena frowned, a thousand thoughts in her head. "Damon never said anything about it."_

"_That's because Damon doesn't know about it." Lauren took her hand and squeezed it. "It's the one secret I've kept from him and it's going to stay that way. He thinks his grandparents passed away before he was born. If he knew the truth, he'd blame himself for my situation, but he doesn't need to feel guilty because he was the best thing that ever happened to me."_

"_Why are you telling me this?"_

"_Because you're going to stay." Lauren pressed a hand against her cheek. "I've never seen him this happy or so in love, and I just know you'll be in our lives for a long time."_

"_Everything alright here?"_

_Even if she had been able to find the words to articulate what was going on inside her head, Damon's reappearance interrupted her from voicing them aloud. As he stood in the doorway, looking at them with those blue eyes of his, she could only offer him a smile as Lauren gave her cheek one last stroke with her thumb and then got up from the bed, passing her son in the doorway and leaving a kiss on his cheek. _

"_You okay?"_

"_I'm fine." She watched him walk around the bed. "Your mom and I just had a talk."_

"_About?"_

"_Something I already knew." She took his head in her hands, locking their eyes. "I love you."_

"I love you."

Bodies melting together, breaths mingling in the same space, skins rubbing, fingers intertwined, hips locked. It was a mantra running through her head as he moved inside of her - 'I love you, I love you, I love you' - yet physically, she could only pronounce it once, breathing it into the side of his neck as he thrust into her, their sweat-clad bodies driving to that ultimate pleasure together.

"I love you too."

And it seemed to be the very thing she needed to fall over the edge, her body shaking and quivering underneath his as he drove into her a final time and found his own release, before his arm muscles lost their strength and he collapsed on top of her. Her arms wrapped around him and her fingers tangled into his black locks, caressing his skull while he tried to catch his breath. She hugged him tighter to her body, her legs still wrapped around his waist to keep him there even as he softened inside her, his head resting in the crook of her neck.

"God, I missed this." She kissed his forehead, running her fingers through his hair. "You, inside of me."

"Hmm, don't say things like that." He growled against her neck, pouting. "I'm going to need fifteen minutes to recover."

"My poor old man." She chuckled, rubbing his back. "Don't worry, I'll totally understand it when you need Viagra."

"Despite what you might think, you're not funny."

"I'm sorry for bruising your ego."

"I almost missed those digs." He looked up at her, smiling. "Almost."

"Do you know what I missed the most?" She placed her hand on his cheek, biting her bottom lip. "Just having you next to me at night and waking up next to you in the morning. Even when Stefan was lying next to me, the bed still felt empty because it wasn't the same as it was with you."

"I missed that too." He kissed the inside of her palm. "I hated coming home to a dark apartment and an empty bed. It felt like there was no one that cared that I came home."

"I missed you so much."

"I missed you too."

She pressed her lips tightly against his before pulling herself away and trailing kisses down his neck to where she buried her head into his shoulder, hugging him tightly to her, making up for the past five years she'd missed doing so. He mimicked her actions and wrapped his arms around her, burying his head next to hers, breathing in her scent, and holding onto her in a way no one had done in years.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here." He breathed into her ear, hugging her. "I should have been here with you and Liam."

"It's okay, you didn't know." She pulled her head back to lock their eyes. "You're here now and you're here to be his dad, it's okay."

How did you tell someone that you knew all along that you had a child together? That you figured it out before she did that she was carrying your child in her womb? How do you tell the woman you love that you let her walk out the door because you wanted to do the right thing for your child? He'd chosen to not be in his son's life for years, knowing he had to fix himself before he could teach someone else about the beauty of life. It's why he had stayed away for all those years, only appearing in times of crises. Holding his son that first night after he'd been born, feeding him and bathing him because he knew he'd have to say goodbye to him again in the morning when he went back to his mother. Sitting next to his three-year-old son's bed after they'd removed his appendix, wondering how they could be three years further than when he'd last sat in the hospital and held him while he'd slept. It had been the same as the night he was born. He'd gotten the phone call, forced himself not to care, and then found himself, hours later, with his son in his arms.

"Elena, I have to tell you something..."

"Daddy!"

"I think our son has other plans." She pecked his lips, holding his face. "We'll talk tonight okay?"

"Okay."

"DADDY!" Liam sprinted into the room, eyes wide as he launched himself onto the bed. "There's a crazy lady in the kitchen who threw cookies at me. You have to do something, she's scary!"

"I know she's scary," He pushed himself up on his elbow. "The first few months I lived with her I cried every night."

"Lauren's here?"

Elena shot up from the bed, not even waiting for an answer as she gathered her clothes from the chair and started pulling them over her head and up her legs. It made Damon smile as he watched the scene unfold in front of his eyes, knowing that even though she'd lost her mother, she still had another one to find comfort in. Never had it occurred to him before that it might have been the reason why his mother kept fighting for his and Elena's relationship, even after they separated; because Lauren hadn't just said goodbye to her son's girlfriend, she'd had to say goodbye to the only daughter she'd ever known.

"Who is she?"

"She's _my_ mom and for some reason _your_ mom likes her." Damon looked up at his son. "Trust me you don't want to be near them when they reunite."

"Why not?"

"Because they act like two overgrown cheerleaders. They clap, they dance, they jump, they sing and you're just sitting there wondering who won the game."

"I don't think I want to hear Mommy sing." Liam shook his head, covering his ears. "It's already bad enough in the shower."

"You just have to keep her busy."

"How do you keep her busy in the shower?"

"Just..." Damon rolled his eyes and snuggled deeper in the pillow. "We'll have this conversation in ten years."

"We're going to have a lot of conversations in ten years."

"Stop being a smartass and go back to sleep."

Liam pouted slightly and pulled his socks off, crawling under the covers next to his father. Damon smiled softly as he heard Liam lie down with a small sigh, the boy's eyes directed at the ceiling and worry written on his face. Damon wondered how a five-year-old could have any worries when he was surrounded by so much love and warmth.

"What's wrong?"

"When are we going back home?" Liam whispered, blue locking on blue. "I like staying with Grandpa but now I want to go back home to my own room and toys."

"Grayson is sad because he lost your granny, and we're here so he wouldn't be so lonely." Damon tucked his arm under his head. "And your mom and Stefan are not going to live together anymore, so that means they're going to decide who gets what and maybe your mom won't get the house."

"So I can never go home?"

"We'll get a new home." He wiped away the tear that rolled over Liam's cheek. "And you'll get a new room with your favorite colors."

"But I miss my old room." His bottom lip stuck out from underneath the other one. "And I miss Granny."

It seemed unfair that the world was throwing all these things at him at once. Elena had made it her life's mission to shield from pain, so now when he was finally confronted with it, the hurt was ten times worse. It would leave a scar on his young soul that he'd have to carry with him for the rest of his life, but he was growing up and he could no longer be shielded from all the pain that the world was going to throw at him. Not even the best parents managed to protect their child like that, not even the best father could save his son from all of life's pain.

"I know you miss her." He placed his arm over Liam's waist, turning on his side. "We all miss her."

"You don't miss her." It almost sounded like an accusation. "Do you think Granny is with God?"

"If you believe in that sort of thing."

"Don't you believe in God?" His wide eyes bored into Damon's. "Granny said that if she wasn't coming back, I didn't have to worry because God would take care of her."

"That's what your grandmother believed." He rolled his eyes, finding the confused look on his son's face. "That doesn't mean I have to believe the same thing."

"But bad things happen when you don't believe in God."

"Nah, I rather side with Mother Nature." He smirked slightly. "She's way more powerful than God will ever be."

"But you have to believe! That's what Granny said."

"Your grandmother was one of those people that needed hope and bought the church's product." He shrugged as if it didn't matter. "God is air, he doesn't exist. He's just an invention that the church uses to tell people what they can and cannot do."

"But God created the Earth."

"No, Mother Nature created the earth." He smiled softly as Liam rolled his eyes in return. "The church tells you that God created the earth so you feel like you owe them something."

"Can we have this conversation in ten years too?"

"Sure." He laughed, seeing Liam's face light up too. "We'll put it on the list with all those other conversations we're going to have then."

Liam nodded and gave him a beaming smile, crawling closer to him under the covers. Damon draped his arm around his son as Liam snuggled into the crook of his neck. It was something Damon never did with his own father; it was something he never realized he had missed, spending mornings with your father, just talking, being lazy, feeling safe in the arms of that person you knew would always protect you.

"Daddy?" Liam looked up at him, blue on blue. "Why are you naked?"

"I like to sleep naked."

"Are you sticking to that story?"

"Don't be a smartass."

* * *

><p>"<em>You okay?" <em>

"_Go away." She leaned over the toilet, hugging it. "You don't need to see this."_

_He pushed himself off the doorpost and rolled his eyes. Sighing, he sat down behind her and gathered her hair from around her face to hold it up. She shook her head as she tried to pull away from him. That didn't last long as another wave of nausea made her hover above the toilet again. When it finally subsided, she fell back on her heels, pulling her head away from his hands. _

"_You're forgetting that I'm a doctor."_

"_You once told me you became a surgeon because you don't want to deal with puke and diarrhea on a daily basis."_

"_It's different when it's my girlfriend's puke." He pulled his nose up. "Not getting into the diarrhea part though."_

"_I can't believe I'm sick." She rested her head against the toilet seat, watching him through tired eyes. "It's been years since I had the flu."_

"_Lesson number one about living with a surgeon," He took her shoulders in his hands, massaging them gently. "We spend a lot of time in hospitals with a lot of sick people. Get a flu shot next year."_

_She pouted and fell back against his chest as he smiled and cradled her against his body, his fingers running through her messy hair. And as they sat there quietly, she realized she had never had that kind of comfort, a man's warm arms around her as her head felt like it was about the explode. It was new and foreign, a man that invested so much time in their relationship, as if he was more devoted to her than to anything else in his life, choosing her over some novel he had to finish. It made her want to cry, because for the first time in her life she like she was really loved, different from her parents who were practically forced to love her since they gave birth to her. She was loved by a man, one who would put everything on the line for her. He had a job where he had people's lives in his hands every day; he took their hearts in his hands and healed them. And he'd healed her heart too, without even leaving a scar. _

"_I'm icky." She mumbled against his chest, sniffing. "And I stink."_

"_Come on then, icky person."_

_He wrapped one arm around her back and the other under her knees, standing up and walking to the bedroom door. That warmth spread through her again; she felt safe, cared for, special. Every day she compared him to his brother, and she knew it was wrong; you don't compare your lovers, and yet she felt as if she had to do it every day to recognize what she had gained. It didn't feel like she had lost something when she left her marriage behind. Now she realized there was so much more to life than babies and a husband; there was love to be chased, so much love. She didn't think any man was capable of loving anyone as much as Damon loved her, maybe he was one in a kind, or maybe she just thought she had found the right one in the wrong person before. Whatever the reason, she felt like she had to put them side by side and acknowledge the differences so she could see that Damon gave her so much more than she had ever received in her marriage. He gave her all of himself, holding nothing back - his body was hers, his soul was hers, his heart was her property. _

"_Can I get you anything?" He placed her down on the bed, pulling the covers over her. "Soup, tylenol...?"_

"_Morphine."_

"_I'm afraid I can't give you that." He crouched down next to the bed, chuckling. "I'll get you an aspirin." _

"_What the hell is the use of dating a surgeon if he can't even drug me?"_

"_Well, surgeons are specialist in human anatomy, which means we know every spot that can hurt you or bring you pleasure." He pressed a kiss against her forehead, tapping her nose. "And I'll demonstrate to you why the hell you are dating a surgeon the second you get better." _

"_No dirty talk." She shook her head and buried it in the pillow. "I'm not feeling sexy at the moment."_

_He shook his head at her while he rolled his eyes in amusement, his fingers removing the loose strands of hair away from her face. She opened her eyes and looked straight into his, drowning in that ocean of blue, looking right into his soul, one of the purest she'd ever seen, or maybe just the only one she'd ever seen up close. She had been living with him for a week, and every day there was a new thing he did that made her love him more, even though she'd thought that loving him more was impossible, not when she was already consumed by him, not when he was in her every vein, the blood that kept her body alive._

"_Oh Damon with your eyes so blueeee..." She sang softly, reaching for his hand. "Oh baby, I love youuu."_

"_You already took something, didn't you?" He placed his thumb beneath her eye and pulled it open. "By the looks of your pupils, I'd say you had more than one something."_

"_But I'm feeling pretty good now."_

"_I'm sure you do." He smirked before his expression became serious again. "I love you too, Elena."_

"_Don't you dare ever leave me." She whispered, bringing his hand to her lips. "I'll chase you to the other side of the world if I have to, you're stuck with me."_

"_Good."_

_His confidence made a smile appear on her tired face. She shuffled herself to the middle of the bed as he made a move to lie down next to her. Once he settled, she pushed herself against him, burying her face into the crook of his neck, her arm draping around his waist. She pushed one of her legs between his and sighed as she completely relaxed against him, content with where she was, perfectly happy. Happier than she'd ever been, probably the happiest she could be, except for that one thing that would make her happiness complete._

"_Don't have a vasectomy." She whispered against the skin in his neck. "I promise I won't get pregnant, just don't have a vasectomy."_

"_Where did that come from?"_

"_You said that if you ever got into a serious relationship, you'd get a vasectomy." She looked up into his eyes, finding him staring back at her. "You can trust me, I won't get pregnant."_

"_I know I can trust you." He closed his eyes before he slowly opened them again and nodded. "Okay, I won't have a vasectomy."_

"_Thank you."_

_She felt a weight fall off her shoulders, her nightmares wiped from her mind. As long as he didn't have that operation, she had hope that maybe someday he'd say "Okay, let's go for it." Maybe then she could carry his baby, feel it grow in her belly, and raise it with him. She couldn't have that hope taken from her; even if they never had children, she'd always have that tiny bit of hope that maybe one day he really would give her everything of him, that together they'd create a bond stronger than her marriage had ever been. _

"_Don't you have to go to work?"_

"_Not today."_

"_Good." She left a kiss on his jaw, snuggling deeper into him. "I missed you next to me."_

"_I missed you too."_

"I missed you too."

Elena buried her face in Lauren's shoulder, hugging her tighter, and it felt as if she was finally really back in Damon's life. After all those years of longing and waiting for him to show up on her doorstep, they had finally arrived and the package was whole again, because Damon and Lauren formed a unit that even she knew she would never be able to separate. She'd always known, that's why instead of rebelling against her mother-in-law like most women, they became best friends, sharing one love that bonded them in the tightest way possible, Damon.

"What are you doing here?" Elena held Lauren at arm's length, a wide smile spread across her face. "I'm glad you're here but you're not supposed to travel."

"If my son doesn't bring my grandson to me, then I'm coming to him." Lauren put her hands on her hips, giving a firm nod. "Now it turns out my grandson is just like my son and can't get out of the room quickly enough when I'm in it."

"He said you threw a cookie at him." Elena shook her head, laughing. "And you've got the part about Damon and Liam being the same right."

"And why do I suspect you don't mind?"

"Because I don't." She pulled her hands off Lauren's shoulders. "It's what I always wanted, Lauren. They're inseparable and I just can't get enough of watching them together."

It was a vivid image in her mind. Liam curled up against his father's chest when she woke up in the middle of the night, finding her son in their bed, and it made her smile like a lunatic as her two men frowned in their sleep at the same time, apparently not only the same in character. Liam and Damon bickering as they're having breakfast at the hospital, then at some point they both look at her and wait for her to decide who's right, and she just shakes her head at them and laughs. The older her son becomes, the more he starts to resemble his father, and like his father, her boy has a mind of his own, which makes him and Damon the best of friends or the worst of enemies.

"Did you two have a chance to talk?" Lauren came to stand beside her, kneading the cookie dough. "Everything's out in the open, no more secrets?"

"No, not really." She shrugged, shaking her head. "We've had so much drama around us ever since he arrived that we haven't had the time to sit down and talk about everything that has happened. I mean, I know I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him, but I have things to tell him and I'm sure he has things to tell me."

"When he tells you," Lauren took a deep breath, swallowing the lump in her throat. "You need to remember that he was a different man five years ago."

"Is it that bad?" She whispered, her eyes scanning Lauren's face. "Was there someone else after me?"

"No, honey. If that's what you're thinking, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about." Lauren placed her hand against Elena's cheek. "What I'm saying is that just like you couldn't let go of him, he couldn't let go of you either."

"Did you ever tell him..?" Her eyes teared up as she looked into Lauren's clear blue ones. "About..?"

"No." Lauren shook her head, smiling reassuringly. "That's for you to tell him."

"I thought you and Damon didn't do secrets?"

"I know what a woman does to protect her son. I'm not saying that what she does is always the right thing but sometimes it's necessary." Lauren smiled sadly, pressing her lips together. "You had to protect your son, like I had to protect mine."

"Mommy?"

Her eyes snapped away from Lauren's to her son who sauntered into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes tiredly. She chuckled and watched him crawl onto the chair and then from there up onto the kitchen table, his little legs dangling off the edge. Lauren turned around too, watching her grandson, for the first time in her life having him really within reach, and Elena could see what it did to the older woman. This was her family, she didn't have anyone besides Damon, but this little boy was her family too. He had been since the day he was born and she'd been waiting to meet him since that day, and Elena didn't doubt for a second that she was as ready to wrap Liam up in her love as she had with her and Damon.

"What's wrong my beautiful boy?" Elena pressed a kiss to his temple. "Are you still tired?"

"I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry." She grabbed his fists and pulled it away from his eyes so he'd stop rubbing in them. "We'll wait for Damon to have breakfast. Where is he?"

"He had to pee."

"Don't say it like that." She smiled and rubbed his arm. "Damon is using the bathroom."

"Damon is using the bathroom." He nodded tiredly, pressing his lips together. "To pee."

"No." Elena rolled her eyes. "He's just using the bathroom."

"But he told me he had to pee."

"But you don't have to say that." Elena shook her head again, smiling. "Never mind, we'll have this talk again when you're fully awake."

She turned away from her son back to the kitchen, her eyes falling on Lauren who was studying Liam intensely, like he was the most precious thing she'd ever seen, and in some way he probably was to her. Here was a woman that had always believed she'd never have grandchildren, because her son had been too badly scarred by his own father, or the lack of having one, to even consider it. Now the miniature version of her son was sitting right in front of her, being his cute little self, not even aware of how much he was adored by her, how she'd been longing to meet him for all those years.

"Do you want to help me bake cookies?" Lauren gave him a smile that was filled with adoration. "We can make all kind of different shapes."

"No."

"Liam you love to bake cookies." Elena leaned over the counter to look at him. "You used to do it all the time with Grandma."

"But she's not my Granny!"

And just like that, Liam lowered himself to the ground and ran towards the stairs, stomping back up them. Elena shook her head in a dazed state, her eyes moving to Lauren and seeing the hurt on her face as her eyes focused on kneading the dough, suddenly like the dough was the most important thing in the world. Elena snapped out of her thoughts and searched for words to justify her son's behavior.

"I'm so sorry about that." She bit her lip, already moving past Lauren. "I'll go talk to him."

"It's okay." Lauren grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "He's been through a difficult period, he's hurt."

"That doesn't justify his behavior."

Elena threw the towel she'd had on her shoulder back on the counter top and went after her son. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, she found him sitting at the top, his elbows on his knees, his chin on his fists, a pout on his face, and tears streaming down his cheeks. Carefully, she went up the stairs and sat down next to her son, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to pull him into her side. At first he was reluctant to be comforted by her but after a few moments, he melted against her.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

"I only want to bake cookies with Granny." He sniffed against her chest. "She's not Granny and she'll never ever be Granny."

"No one said she's Granny." Elena caressed his skull with light strokes. "Why would you think that she's here to replace your Granny?"

"Damon is now my daddy." He uttered, having difficulty breathing through his sobs. "And she's Daddy's mommy, so she's now my Granny too but I don't want another Granny."

"She's not here to replace your Granny." Elena hugged him tightly to her chest. "I would never let that happen."

"What's wrong?"

She looked up when suddenly Damon hovered above them, the gray shirt he was wearing emphasizing the blue in his eyes. His eyes switched between her face and Liam in her arms, and he frowned, carrying a worried expression on his face. She shook her head quietly and watched him sit down on Liam's other side, his eyes watching his son as he sobbed against her chest. It was the first time she really saw a father in him; it hit her in that moment, as he was sitting there, worrying about their son. Even though he could see there was no physical harm, he still worried about his son being in pain because like a real dad, he wanted to protect his son from all that the world threw at him.

"He thinks Lauren is here to replace his Granny." Elena explained quietly, finding Damon's eyes. "And he doesn't want another Granny."

"She's not here to take her place." Damon's eyes went to their son, his finger moving over Liam's cheek. "She's just an extra Granny, like you have an extra Daddy."

And for some reason Liam stopped sobbing. He sat up slowly and his eyes got their shimmer back as Damon's words seemed to sink in. Elena watched as her son squirmed his way out of her arms and snuggled up to his father, apparently more content there. Damon placed a kiss against his crown and wrapped his arm around the little boy, rocking him from side to side as he grieved the loss of his grandmother and began to accept the new one that had stepped into his life.

"She isn't so bad." Damon whispered against his ear, rubbing his arm as if to warm him up. "She bakes really good cookies with chocolate."

"Maybe I'll like her." He pouted his lips together so a small frown formed between his brows. "If she doesn't throw cookies at me anymore."

"She thought you'd catch it." Elena squeezed his knee. "It was nice of her."

"I'm not a dog." Liam snarled, pouting harder this time. "I only eat things from the floor when I'm really hungry."

"Don't ever eat things from the floor, it's not healthy." Damon arched his eyebrow at the boy and stood up. "I'm going to check on my mom, want to come?"

"I'm not ready for it yet."

Damon rolled his eyes, ruffled his son's hair and leaned over to drop a kiss on Elena's lip. As soon as his lips touched hers, Elena wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, hearing Liam making a disgusted noise beside her. Damon's hands went to her hips to steady himself as he stumbled in front of her, and she giggled against his lips, pressing her lips back against his mouth once he smiled back. She reveled in his touch, her body still humming from the orgasms this morning, their connection sealed again, like it once had been. And this time she wouldn't run from a love that frightened her because it ran so deep; instead she'd welcome it, because she lived too long without it. It had taken her two seconds to realize after she came back that she wanted that kind of love, knowing one would die to protect the other, and it was what she'd longed for all those years.

"Go do fiki fiki somewhere else."

"If you think this is fiki fiki," Damon pulled his lips away from Elena's, laughing. "Then there are so many surprises coming your way."

"What do you mean?" Liam yelled as his father reached the bottom of the stairs, eyes wide open. "Mommy, what does he mean?"

"Nothing for you to worry about." Elena shook her head, patting his hair. "You want to go play outside?"

"I've got a question first." He watched the smile appear on her face. "If Daddy is my Daddy and Daddy's Mommy is my Granny, then why didn't I meet them sooner?"

How did you tell a five-year-old you'd taken him away from his real father? The whole 'Daddy-situation' didn't seem complicated to him, but that was because they hadn't started talking about biology. Do you tell your son you took him away from his father to protect him? Because you knew he wouldn't have been born if you had stayed? Did you tell him his father didn't want him in the first place? That you had to steal him? That he came by accident, yet he was the best thing that ever happened to you?

"I need to tell you a story." Elena lowered herself to another step and looked up at him. "A long time ago, before you were born, there was a girl, and she thought she'd fallen in love with a boy. They got together and they stayed together for a very long time, and all that time the girl thought she was in love with that boy. Then the boy asked her if she wanted to marry him and the girl said yes, because she thought she couldn't love anyone else more than him. But that same day, the girl met another boy, and that boy was dangerous and at first she really didn't like him, but after a while they became friends and the girl started to trust that boy more than anyone else in the world. But the girl didn't realize that they were more than just friends. The girl had fallen in love with her best friend but she didn't figure it out until she married the first boy. On her wedding day, she kissed the other boy but he pushed her away and told her they were wrong to do that, and the girl knew they shouldn't be doing that so they tried to stay away from each other for a very long time, even though they wanted to be together. Then it was the boy's birthday and the girl baked him a cake because she wanted to see him again and talk to him. That night they realized they had fallen in love and they kissed. After that night, they couldn't stay away from each other anymore, but they hid themselves from everyone because if someone saw them, they'd tell the girl's husband. They lived like that for a long time, until one day the boy had to go back to where he came from and the girl had to choose. She chose her husband but when she thought about leaving the other boy behind, she couldn't imagine living without him. So she ran far away with him and they were happy together and so in love; no one could believe that they loved each other so much. Then something happened and the girl had to leave, so she came back to her husband, but after she came back, she figured out that because she had loved the other boy so much, they had made a baby that was growing in her belly. She told her husband and he said she could keep the baby if she never talked to the other boy again, and for a very long time she didn't talk to him. But that didn't mean that she stopped loving him or that she didn't think about him anymore, because she thought about him every second of every day. She watched his son grow up, and she loved that little boy so much because he was the last thing she had of the other boy. But the other boy didn't know that she had that baby, and he thought the girl didn't love him anymore and that's why she didn't come back to him, but then after a few years, he came back himself and he found the girl, and then he found his son."

"Did he like his son?"

"He loves his son so much." Elena stroked his cheek, watching a smile appear on his face. "They're best friends."

"Like me and Daddy?" His eyes lit up, his lips parting. "Or like you and Auntie Bonnie?"

"I need to tell you something, buddy." She took his small hand between hers. "Damon's the boy and I'm the girl that fell in love with him, and we ran away and we loved each other so much that we made you. Damon's your real daddy, Liam. He's your only daddy."

"I know." Liam shrugged, eyes honest and open. "He's awesome, I'm awesome."

"You know?"

"And we both have blue eyes." Liam ignored her question as if he hadn't heard it. "And when you were in the hospital he took care of me, because that's what real daddies do."

"You could have met him so much sooner." Elena bit her lip, shaking her head with shame. "I kept him from you and I'm so sorry. If I had told him about you, then you could have met him sooner."

"But mommy," Liam's eyebrows knitted together. "Daddy said I slept on his chest the first night I was born."

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><p><strong>Please leave a review with your thoughts! <strong>


	20. Everybody hurts

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews last chapter, I'm so glad you all take the time to let me know your thoughts. Here's a new chappie for you! Thank you **LaylaReyne** for taking the time to beta.

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><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 20

'Everybody Hurts '

"_What's wrong?"_

_A small smile spread across her lips upon finding her man curled in a ball on the bed, buried beneath the sheets. Slowly, she reached for the corner of the sheet and held it up so she could crawl underneath it, finding his warm body in the middle of the bed. She slid down and turned on her side, throwing the covers back over her head before she draped her arm over his waist and snuggled up to his back, resting her head in the crook of his neck._

"_Are we playing Cowboys and Indians?" She chuckled against the skin of his neck. "Or even better, is this our invisibility cloak so the other muggles can't find us?"_

"_The what?"_

"_The muggles!" She squeezed his waist against her, shaking her head. "Harry Potter?"_

"_Isn't that for kids?"_

"_I was a kid when the first book came out." She laid her head back against his shoulder. "I grew up with it, it's in my genes."_

"_Despite what you might think, you still have the same genes as when you were born."_

"_You need more fantasy in your life, Salvatore." She placed a kiss behind his ear, inhaling his scent. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I have to get my magic spell book?"_

"_I lost a patient today." _

_It was the last thing she expected to hear, but she knew doctors lost patients. Her father had been just a GP in a small town and even he had lost a patient now and then. She should have expected it, yet she never imagined that it'd put him in a state like this. She always thought of him as the ruthless doctor that dominated every OR, but now it turned out he was just like any other doctor who also lost people. Somehow, finding him that vulnerable warmed her heart, knowing that while he kept up the cool and collected mask in front of other people, he shared his fears with her, his insecurities and his doubts, and it made her realize how much he really loved her. _

"_She wasn't supposed to die." He shook his head into the pillow, staring in front of him. "It was a routine operation. She was barely twenty years old, and I let her die."_

"_You didn't do it on purpose." She hugged him tighter, wanting to squeeze the thought out of his mind. "These things happen, you can't save them all."_

"_I tried to save her." He whispered into the dark. "I tried everything, but she just gave up."_

"_It wasn't your fault." _

"_Tell that to her parents." He turned to lie on his back and snorted. "They're suing me."_

"_They're hurt and they need someone to blame." She cupped his cheek and rubbed her thumb over it. "If she would have survived, then they would have thanked you a million times."_

"_No, they wouldn't." He rolled his eyes, pressing his lips together doubtfully. "When I save someone, they thank God. When someone dies on my table, they blame me."_

_She sighed as he gave a little defeated shrug and placed a kiss on her cheek, making her nuzzle her face against his bicep. They lay there in silence for a few minutes, listening to each other's breathing, hearing the other one's heartbeat, and then she moved up so she could unbutton his shirt and expose his bare chest to her. There was nothing sexual or erotic about the act as she started rubbing circles up and down his stomach. Her touch brought him comfort, the tension leaving his body as she lay down beside him, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. _

"_Marry me." _

"_What?"_

_Suddenly, she was holding herself up on her arm, her eyes staring into his while he just lay there smiling at her as if the words he'd just spoken didn't change her whole world. They were words she never expected to hear out of his mouth, He had told her too many times that he didn't believe in marriage for her to ever think someday he'd be ready and willing to marry her; and until now, she'd thought she didn't need his ring around her finger, that his arms around her body were enough. As long as he was hers, it was enough._

"_What happened to 'marriage is for people that are scared to be alone'?" She stuttered, taking a deep breath. "You don't want to get married, Damon. You've told me so a thousand times."_

"_And it is. I'm scared to be without you." He took her hand in his, his eyes more honest than she'd ever seen them. "That girl that died on my table today still had so many things to experience in life, and I don't want to die tomorrow and not have done those things with you."_

"_Damon…"_

"_This is for life, Elena." He squeezed her hand between his and held her gaze, blue locked on brown. "I want to marry you, I want to be your husband, and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you."_

_It was picture perfect in her head - his name behind hers, his name carved in the band around her finger, his claim on her. Her eyes filled with tears while his smile got wider, seeing the acceptance in her eyes. She was going to marry him and he knew it, because she was meant to marry him the second she met him. She was carrying the wrong Salvatore's name, because there was no doubt she was supposed to be his wife since the day she'd been born. Fate had put her on this earth to spend her life next to him - it was the only explanation for why they were connected like this, why they shared a love as strong as this one - because the universe had always wanted them to be. _

"_Okay." She nodded, a smile growing on her face. "Yes, I'll marry you."_

_His lips slammed into hers, his body pushing her back against the mattress. She giggled against his mouth as his lips started ravishing hers, his tongue slipping inside to meet hers. She placed her hands on his cheeks, feeling the scruff beneath her palms, reveling in his touch as his hands wandered down her sides, slipping under her shirt. They were perfection, there was no other explanation for feeling the way they did, for connecting the way they had. She was his, he was hers, and it was as simple as multiplying one with one. _

"_How are you feeling?" He panted, his blue eyes boring into hers. "Is that flu gone?"_

"_I feel fine." She pecked his lips, pulling his waist into hers. "It was a twenty-four hour thing." _

"_Okay."_

"_Make love to me, Damon."_

_His movements became slower, his lips touching hers lightly, just pecking, his touches less feverish as he placed his palms against the bare skin of her stomach and slowly let them slide upwards, pushing her shirt up. He lowered his face to her belly button and started leaving kisses wherever a new piece of her skin was unveiled to him. She rested her head in the pillow and tangled her fingers in his black locks, loose enough so he could move, tight enough so she could pull on his hair every time he dipped his tongue into her belly button. It seemed to take forever until he came back up again, his lips touching hers, his blue eyes boring into her brown ones, love radiating out from them. _

"_Hello,wifey."_

"_Hello, hubby." She smiled, tugging him down so their noses were touching. "My handsome future husband."_

"_I'm pretty sure I'm not that handsome after my thirty-hour shift." _

"_You're always handsome." She whispered against his chin, nibbling on it. "Even with those bags under your gorgeous blue eyes."_

"_You're a shitty liar, Gilbert."_

"_Okay then." She rolled her eyes at him and sniggered. "You look like shit."_

"You look like shit."

"This morning your mother tried to convince me that you turned into a whole different man, but you're still the same asshole you were five years ago."

"I try to keep up appearances."

Damon shrugged slightly as he sat down next to Grayson and watched him staring into the distance, the morning sun warming them as they silently sat in the swing-set on the porch. Grayson sniffed and it reminded him of the inner turmoil this man was going through. He'd lost the one he had vowed to spend his life with, and it seemed as if that loss was making him slowly lose himself too. This man used to be nothing but vibrant, a smile practically glued to his face, but now he was only a broken version of the father Elena had once known, the grandfather Liam had once played with, and the best friend he'd once left behind. Apparently, if you lost your significant other, it made you want to crawl in a hole too; he'd never realized to what extent people entwined their lives, even though he'd been on the verge of doing the same with Elena, and it had never occurred to him that loving someone meant dying with them too.

"I'm sure you're glad to have your mom here." Grayson gave him a sideway glance. "She really brightens up the place."

"I hope you don't mind." He shook his head, laughing quietly. "She kinda just barged in here without any advance notice."

"It's good to have her here." Grayson nodded, pressing his lips together. "She's quite the personality."

"Yeah, she sure is."

"Elena never had that kind of relationship with her mother." Grayson stared in front of him. "I think Miranda wanted to, but Elena never really let her get that close."

"I know I caused a lot of problems between them." He looked down in his lap. "I'm sorry that they could never straighten things out."

"It wasn't your fault." Grayson turned to meet his eyes, shaking his head. "They were never close. They were mother and daughter much like Stefan and Liam - they never had that connection that bound them."

"Are you telling me Miranda wasn't Elena's biological mother?"

"NO, NO!" Grayson held his hands up. "Miranda was Elena's mother. God, just imagine if Elena had to deal with that too."

"I think she's dealing pretty well."

"Thanks to you." Grayson gave him a lopsided smile. "It's good that you're back, especially for Liam. He doesn't know how to deal with this. They're going to need you more than ever Damon, so if you planned on running, you're already too late. They're counting on you."

"I'm not going to run." His gaze burned into Grayson's. "I came back here to be Liam's dad, to be Elena's husband, and to spend my life with them."

"I know."

It brought a little smile to his lips as he thought back on his handful of memories with Liam; he could have had so many more with his son, yet he chose not to. It was the same with Elena. If they hadn't been so damn stubborn, there would have been so many more memories, maybe even memories with more babies. Maybe he'd have eventually been able to give her all that she wanted, but with that same thought, he knew that wasn't true. He was too damaged five years ago to be a father, too damaged by his own father to become responsible for his own child. No matter how hard he'd have tried, in the end he would have failed if the demons from his past became stronger than the love for his child and wife.

"When Miranda told me she was pregnant with Elena," Grayson shook his head, laughing in an amused way. "I was so terrified I thought I was going to have a heart attack."

"The second I figured out Elena was pregnant, I was so mad." Damon pressed his lips together, sighing. "But I couldn't blame her. She took her birth control religiously, but she got the flu and it affected her birth control, and I was stupid not to think about it."

"I was a lot like you, Damon." Grayson's eyes snapped back to his. "I thought being a father wasn't something I wanted either. But the first time I took Elena in my arms, everything fell into place."

"I know, I think Elena had to get pregnant before I realized I needed do something about my issues." He took a deep breath, blowing it back out. "I went into therapy without telling her, because I couldn't take that baby from her. She thinks I would have forced her into an abortion, but I don't think I'd have been able to do it. I knew how much she wanted to be a mom."

"You two have a lot to talk about, Damon."

"As if I don't know." He rolled his eyes, reclining against the backrest. "We're going to talk tonight, so if you don't see me tomorrow, it was nice knowing you."

"You two will be fine."

A door was suddenly slammed opened and shut, making them both jump up from the swing, as Elena stomped out of the front door and onto the porch, her eyes red and puffy from crying, a dried path of tears on her cheeks, a fresh set of tears streaming out of her eyes. Her brown eyes locked onto his blue ones and the rage behind them was almost enough to make him drop onto his knees. With her fists clenched by her side, her body rigid, her teeth clattering, he'd never seen her more broken or more determined. And there was only one reason that could have gotten her like this, the too understanding woman who was now ready to pack his bags before he had even gotten a word out… she knew.

"You knew."

"Elena…."

"No!" She held her hand up, shaking her head. "Don't you dare try to talk your way out of this. There's nothing you can say to make this alright."

And he wanted to crawl on his hands and knees and beg her to never let him leave again, don't force a father away from his son, don't remove yourself from the person you're supposed to be with. He was ready to grovel,to fall at her feet so she'd let him stay, because he couldn't go back to the lonely years without her and his son. It nearly killed him, it was the reason why he'd come back, why he'd never moved on, because there was no moving on from her - she was it, everything and nothing at the same time.

"You knew we had a baby." She looked at him in disgust, her eyes filled with so much disbelief. "You knew I had your baby and you never came back for us."

"I came back now." He put a step forward, holding his arms out to her. "I'm here now, and I'm ready for this."

"After five years, you're finally ready for this?" She huffed, letting out a humorless laugh. "You ignored the fact that you had a son for five years, but all of a sudden you're here to be his father? Why now Damon? Why didn't you come sooner? Why didn't you come the second you figured it out? How did you even figure it out? Did you come back for me? Did you come back and find me barefoot and pregnant so you left again?"

"No, Elena. Listen to me." He grabbed her by the shoulders, but she pulled away from him. "I did what was best for him. I had to fix myself first before I could be a good father to him. And you knew just as well as I did. That's why you didn't come back, you knew I couldn't do it."

"How long have you known, Damon?" She gritted her teeth together. "How long have you known we had a son?"

"I knew even before you realized it." He let his arms fall next to his sides, his eyes filled with guilt. "I figured out you were pregnant when you were painting that damn wall and you asked me to make you a sandwich with pickles and barbecue sauce."

"Get out of my house."

She seemed calmer than she'd ever been before, her body still shaking, her eyes still red, but she'd stopped crying. She looked pulled together, but he could see the turmoil on the inside, ready to fall apart when he turned his back on her, to break apart into the million of pieces she had glued together over the past five years. He knew how it felt; he'd lived through it. She'd left him and he'd shattered into pieces that may have been glued back together over time, but the scars would never fully heal until he had her back by his side forever. She would fall apart again like she had when she'd come back from Chicago, she'd take Liam with her into her suffering, and she'd break those carefully glued pieces all over again.

"What are you going to do Elena?" He grabbed her arm as she tried to turn back to the door. "Separate us for another five years so we can be miserable again? Maybe I can come back in five years and we'llgive this another go? But what will you use then to keep us apart? I know that I hurt you the first time and I wanted to kill myself for that, but I couldn't because I had a son to get back to. I had to get better for him and I had to make things right with you,but to do that I needed time to pull myself together. You're scared of getting hurt again and I get it, but pushing me away is only going to hurt all of us more."

"Don't try to turn this on me." She whispered, her voice hoarse. "You've been here for months. You could have told me months ago but you kept it a secret. You were wrong."

"I made mistakes but so did you." He squeezed her arm to get her attention. "You never told me about him, you left me with nothing. You had my son while I had a damn green wall."

"You painted it!"

"_You painted it!"_

_He buried his hands in his hair as he stepped inside the apartment and found his perfectly white wall now covered with a green layer, his fiancé standing in front of it with a proud smile. He closed his eyes, counted to five and opened them again, only to be met with Elena standing in front of him, covered in paint, a wide smile on her face and a green wall behind her. _

"_Do you like it?" _

"_Are you serious?" He arched his eyebrow, his mouth falling open. "You painted my wall!"_

"_You agreed to it." _

"_Honey, that was after round four, when my brain was good and fried." _

"_And now your wall is green." She giggled one of her dirty giggles. "Get used to it." _

_He sighed and locked his eyes onto Elena's, looking over her white shirt covered with green paint, her jean shorts, her tanned legs covered with paint and slippers that probably used to be black. Then he looked back up and found that bright wide smile on her face, warming his heart. She took a step towards him and nuzzled her face into his chest, hugging him tight so the paint on her clothes was now on his too. He rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her scent, surrendering. _

"_If any of my other walls turn up green," he grumbled against her crown. "Then you're going to live with my mother and I'll visit when I'm horny."_

"_Lauren's a better cook than you anyway." She chuckled, locking her eyes with his. "She'd probably have me as fat as a pig in a week."_

"_That woman has never heard of small portions." He took a deep breath, pecking Elena's lips. "I'm hungry, do you want something?"_

"_A sandwich with barbecue sauce and pickles." _

"_Seriously?" He pulled his nose up, his eyebrows knitting together. "Who the hell eats that?"_

"_I got the idea a couple of days ago, you should try it." _

_He pulled his face back in place and closed his mouth, staring into the brown eyes that were staring right back at him. It seemed like a wall fell down on his head as the realization slowly sunk into his mind; strange food combinations, missed period, heavy breasts. To double-check his thoughts, he brought his hand to her chest and rubbed his thumb over her nipple through her shirt, watching her jump up at his touch. And he wanted to scream, his breathing getting heavier, his lips parting slightly, and his eyes widening as she stood there innocently, waiting for him to go make her a sandwich. Then his gaze dropped to her stomach and before he realized it, he brought his hands to her sides, his thumbs pointing to her belly button, his child growing just a few inches beneath his touch._

"_Are you okay?" Elena cupped his cheek. "Do you want me to make the sandwiches?"_

"_I'm fine." He smiled tightly, trying not to squeeze her sides. "Just mourning my wall."_

"_How was your day?" She rubbed up and down his arms, smiling softly. "Did you save that woman from that accident?"_

"_Yes, I did."_

"Yes, I did."He threw his arms up in the air, losing his temper. "Because every time I looked at it, I could see you walking out the door all over again and I wanted that feeling to go away. I'm not a masochist like you. I didn't want to feel that pain all the damn time, I wanted it to go away."

"While I tried to hold onto you, you erased me from your life." She spoke through clenched teeth. "But you could, because you were not the one that had to raise your child, that had to look at him every day and see the person that broke your heart."

"Do you regret having him, Elena?" He took a step in her direction, towering over her. "Would you have rather had Stefan's babies?"

"No!"

Her outburst startled them both, her breathing growing heavier as she stared into his eyes, lost in that ocean of blue, the same ocean her son carried. Some days it still seemed surreal that she had his child, but then other days it made complete sense, because she was never supposed to carry anyone else's baby. Once she would have given everything to have children with him, but the day she found out about her pregnancy, sorrow had filled her since she knew she could only have his child without him. But nonetheless, it was his child she wanted to bear, as her dream was still the same - blue-eyed-son, black-jet hair, like father like son. He became her reason for living like his father had once been,her perfect little boy was the reason she kept on breathing. She never thought such a young creature could carry such a great responsibility, and yet it seemed that the day he was born, her son had figured out he had to make up for someone's absence, and he did it. He made her feel complete again, he gave her a sense of purpose, and he let her love him with everything she had, like his father had done before.

"I wanted him more than anything." Tears rolled over her cheeks, her eyes puffy. "In some way he was the worst thing that ever happened to me, since he kept me from going back to you, but I wanted that baby. I know I said I didn't need children if I had you, but when I had him, I realized how untrue that was."

"I know. It's why I let you walk out the door." He shrugged, wetting his lips. "You said I'd have forced you to have an abortion, but I wouldn't have been able to, Elena. You wanted that baby more than you wanted me and I knew it, so I couldn't take that from you. If I'd have told you to have an abortion, you'd have told me to fuck off and you would have chosen our baby and I get it, because you always wanted it and after everything you gave up for me, I couldn't take away the one thing you really wanted."

"Damon…"

"Damon!"

Lauren appeared in the doorway, her eyes filled with hysteria, her mouth hanging open, and her gaze falling onto Damon's, who suddenly seemed alarmed by the shiver in his mother's voice. And as Elena looked at the older woman, for some reason she knew what the reason for her panic was, because a mother only looks that way when her son's in danger, or when her son's son is. Her thoughts were confirmed when, in the next instant, she heard an agonizing scream echo through the house, making her mother-heart shatter into pieces.

"Liam ..."

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><p>"<em>Elena's pregnant."<em>

_Next to him, Alaric spit out his drink and started coughing uncontrollably, causing him to bang his head on the bar and leave it there as his world continued spinning. His best friend's eyes slowly found his, starting to recover from the shock, and as his friend's locked onto his, he knew he was in deep shit. He'd always told everyone he'd never be a dad, that he'd rather kill himself than bring a piece of himself into this world. He swore he'd never get married, and yet he'd been unable to keep the words from slipping out when he'd looked into Elena's brown doe eyes. So here he was, his fiancée pregnant at home, his child growing in her belly, and he was becoming everything he never said he would be._

"_First you propose to her, which nearly gave me a heart attack, but you can always get out of a marriage." Alaric shook his head, still dazed by the news. "But you can't walk away from a kid that easily. What are you going to do?"_

"_I'm going to be a dad." He placed his chin on the bar and stared in front of him at the shelves of whisky. "I can't ask her to have an abortion. She'd rather shoot me than give up that baby."_

"_You're screwed." Alaric lifted a glass in his direction and then slung it back. "How did you even get yourself into this mess? I thought you were going down the sterile-road." _

"_I was planning on it, but she asked me not to." He pulled his nose up, pressing his forehead against the wood. "And now I'm in for diapers, late night feedings, crying, drooling, spitting, pooping, baby-vomit, and worst of all, a pregnant over-emotional fiancée."_

"_Look at the bright side." Alaric gave him a toothy smile. "The state won't get your inheritance, you'll get a tax deduction, you'll have an excuse to act like a kid again and watch Disney movies, your mom will love you more than she already does, and the best thing of all, Elena's libido will go through the roof." _

"_Unless she turns into one of those women that doesn't let you touch her because she's scared your penis will poke her kid's eyes out." He snarled, huffing. "And besides, even if she does turn into a sex-machine, it's only to make up for the sex I won't be having after the kid's born."_

"_True."_

"_I'm screwed."_

"_You are."_

_The images started rushing through his mind. Elena's pregnant belly pressing into his side as she lays curled up to him, her breasts bouncing up and down as she rides him once the missionary position becomes too difficult. Elena squeezing his hand as she screams and pushes, the doctor sitting between her legs and waiting for his child to be born. The baby sucking on Elena's nipple as she sits in the bed next to him, his fingers occasionally rubbing over his daughter's head as she feeds from her mother. His little girl's cries waking him up in the middle of the night, her mouth and eyes wide open as he takes her out of her crib and rocks her back to sleep. The living room floor clattered with toys that belong in the dollhouse in the corner, his princess' eyes lightening up as she sits in her feeding chair and watches him come through the door. All those fantasies warm his heart, but then he sees his daughter lying on the ground, throwing a tantrum and he doesn't know what to do to stop it. She turns into a teenager and she doesn't want to talk to him anymore, and he doesn't know what to say so she'll let him hug her again. His twenty-something daughter moves across the country because she can't stand to be near him, since he wasn't the father he was supposed to be and she blames him for it._

"_What if my kid doesn't like me?" He whispered, breaking the loaded silence. "What if my daughter or son hates me like I hate Giuseppe?"_

"_You need to deal with those issues before your kid arrives." Alaric nodded, making him look up. "I'm serious, Damon. You can't raise your kid if you always think you're doing the wrong thing." _

"_Do you think I need therapy?" _

"_Possibly." Alaric cocked his head to the side. "Couldn't hurt." _

"_Yeah, me neither."_

"_You're going to be okay, buddy."_

"You're going to be okay, buddy."

Elena's head jerked up and she stopped stroking her son's hair when the doctor came back into the room. Although her boy was still breathing and moving, the moment Lauren had walked out the door, her heart had almost stopped beating. And for the first time, she'd seen Damon almost lose it as well when they'd found her father and Liam on the bottom of the stairs, Liam's arm bent in a way that wasn't normal. He'd rushed to his son's side, but it seemed that even when you're a doctor, you can't stay calm and collected if it's your child that's suffering. Instead, her father had been the voice of reason, picking Liam up, bringing him to the car, and pushing Damon into the passenger seat so she could sit in the back with their son.

"It's a clean break." The doctor put the X-rays up on a light box. "So you'll have to wear a cast for a couple of weeks, but then you'll be fine."

"Do I get to pick a color?"

"Yes." The doctor turned around and smiled. "Don't you want to know how long you have to wear it?"

"No." Liam shook his head, pouting his lips. "It's just that bright colors don't really do it for me."

"Seems like you're a smart kid."

"I got that from Daddy." Liam sat up straighter, holding his arm to his chest. "He's a doctor too."

"Really?" The doctor sat down in front of him, exchanging a look with Elena. "What kind of doctor is he?"

"He makes people's hearts better."

"What's your dad's name?"

"Damon Salvatore."

"I didn't know Damon had a son."

Elena felt a shiver run down her spine as the doctor's eyes shifted back to hers, giving her that accusing look she was used to whenever Damon Salvatore was brought up. People had seen them together too many times, she'd disappeared for too long to not raise suspicions, they'd done the math, and they knew she'd come back pregnant. Yet they acted as if they were innocent, they pretended to be clueless, but that didn't stop them from giving her the death glare whenever she walked through town. Liam's physical resemblance to Damon was their confirmation, and she didn't know whether to take comfort or offense in it.

"You knew." Elena whispered, staring back into the doctor's eyes. "Everyone knew."

"Let me rephrase that," he nodded solemnly. "I didn't know it was official."

"Do you know my daddy?" Liam's eyes lit up. "He's famous because he's the best heart doctor in the world."

"Seems like Damon has a fan." The doctor chuckled, making Elena smile too. "Yes, I know your father, and he's a really good surgeon."

"I'm going to be a doctor too when I grow up."

"Then maybe someday I'll work with you." The doctor patted Liam's shoulder. "The nurse will apply a cast to your arm and then you can go home."

The doctor pulled the curtain open and closed it behind him on his way out, making Elena sigh in relief as Liam looked up at her with his big blue eyes, still glittering after the talk he'd had with his doctor. For some reason, telling stories about Damon made him happy, the happiest kid on the planet. It made her realize how much Damon had already gotten under his skin, how much he'd taken his place as a father in Liam's life; and no matter how hard she'd try to undo it, there was no way back anymore. They were father and son now, what had once been her dream had turned into her worst nightmare.

"Mommy." Liam snapped her out of her thoughts. "Can Daddy come in now?"

"I don't know." She stroked his hair back, smiling softly. "I don't think they want too many people in the ER. We don't want to be in their way."

"Daddy isn't that big."

"Okay, I'll see what I can do." She sighed and stood up from her chair. "Stay here."

She placed a kiss on top of his head after he nodded dutifully and pulled the curtain back. She felt the rest of the room buzzing around her, children screaming, parents trying to hush them, adults crying out in pain, and their spouses trying to calm them down. Never before had she been in a room that contained so much love and pain at the same time. Her son was suffering too, and she seemed to realize even more how much she loved him. She'd seen the same look in Damon's eyes when they'd found Liam at the bottom of the stairs he'd fallen from, realizing that life was so valuable and could be taken away in a millisecond.

"Damon?" She walked into the waiting room, stopping him mid-pace. "He's asking for you."

"How is he?" He walked towards her, eyes wide. "Did he see a doctor yet?"

"His arm's broken." She started walking back towards Liam's bed. "But it's a clean break, he'll have to wear a cast for a couple of weeks but it's going to be fine."

"Thank God."

His attention seemed to be on nothing else but getting to his son right then, and she could feel the vibes from his body, complete stress from having to wait hours for news. She walked in front of him, showing him the way to Liam but she felt the frustration roll off him, like she wasn't fast enough, like he wouldn't get to his son fast enough, and for some reason it made her smile slightly.

"Daddy!" Liam stretched his neck once he caught sight of them. "Daddy!"

She moved out of the way as Damon walked past her and rushed towards Liam, placing a kiss on his forehead like she'd done minutes before. He sat down next to Liam and gently examined his broken arm, apparently content with the clean break diagnosis. It made Elena's heart swell at first, then it broke into pieces; because there was nothing more beautiful than a father and a son sitting next to each other and having a conversation about the most random thing, but there was nothing uglier than knowing today would be the last day they shared these moments.

"My arm's hurting."

"I know." Damon squeezed his good arm, smiling reassuringly. "Once you're in the cast, they'll give you something for the pain and you'll be fine."

"Your phone is ringing." Liam watched Damon as he pulled the phone out of his pocket. "You're not supposed to use your phone in a hospital, Damon."

"My mom has been calling me every five minutes to ask how you're doing." Damon rolled his eyes, sighing as he picked up the phone. "Hi mom, he's fine."

Elena watched him roll his eyes for the umpteenth time as Lauren's voice blasted through the phone, the worry clearly audible in her tone. For a second time that day, it hit her again that Lauren had gained a family member, another soul to worry about, to love and protect. She'd never thought anyone would be able to top her mother, but then she'd forgotten about Lauren who loved Damon with everything she had, who'd love Liam with that same passion if she just let her.

"Can I talk to her?" Liam suddenlyabruptly pulled on Damon's sleeve. "I want to ask something."

"Mom, Liam has to ask you something."

"Laury?" Liam spoke into the phone, almost shyly. "Can you make me cookies with chocolate?"

"Of course I can." The happiness behind his question echoed in Lauren's voice. "I'll get right on it."

"Thank you."

"Laury?" Damon put the phone back into his pocket and eyed Liam suspiciously. "Where did that come from?"

"Her name is Lauren and she's my grandmother, but I don't want to call her Granny." He pouted slightly. "So I call her Laury."

"That's very smart." Elena smiled, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I'm sure she'll love it when you call her Laury."

Damon's eyes locked onto hers and for the first time in a really long while she got that sense of family again, a grandmother waiting for her grandson to return home, a grandfather sitting in the waiting room of the hospital, a father sitting next to his son on the hospital bed, and a mother watching her family. And for the first time she fully appreciated the resemblance in their appearances, like father like son. She'd never known how powerful it would be to see the man you love reflected in your son nor realized that it would overwhelm her like this.

"When can we go home?" Liam made Damon's eyes snap back to his. "I want to go home and eat cookies."

"I'll see where that nurse is at."

* * *

><p>"<em>Elenaaaaaaaaa."<em>

"_Hi boozy." She rolled over in the bed, yawning. "Glad to see you finally made it home."_

_A small smile spread across her lips as she watched him stumble around the room, trying to remove his clothes. She chuckled as he fell back on the bed and kicked his pants off, his shirt already lying on the ground. Clumsily, he shoved himself up the mattress and draped his arms over her waist, snuggling his face into the crook of her neck. She pulled her nose up at the smell of alcohol and laughed again as he started licking her shoulder, making her squirm._

"_Stop it!"_

"_I can't help it." He nibbled on her collarbone. "I love you."_

"_Is this how you tell women that you love them?" She fisted his hair and pulled him away from her skin. "That's how you managed to stay single for all those years."_

"_I show them by giving them babies." He whispered in the dark, making her freeze. "I can have babies with you, Elena."_

"_Shh." She shook her head and placed a kiss against his crown, her voice hoarse. "Don't say things you don't mean."_

"_Maybe I mean it." _

_She swallowed the lump in her throat and ignored the way her heart started beating faster, hoping for things that would never be. She'd left that dream behind to live the one with him, and the closest she could get to that dream was being loved by her husband, being consumed by him, and children weren't in the cards for them; she knew that, she knew what she signed up for. That didn't mean that in the back of her mind she didn't still have hope, even though her rational side knew it would stay merely that, but she couldn't help but feel her irrational side gain confidence by his words.._

"_I have something for you." She changed the subject, wanting to erase it from her mind. "After you bought me a ring, I couldn't let you walk around as a single man."_

"_You bought me a ring?" He arched his eyebrow at her, smiling. "Really?"_

"_Here." She grabbed his hand and slipped the silver band onto his finger. "Now you're engaged too."_

"_We can really have babies, Elena." He whispered again, searching for her eyes. "I think I can do it."_

"_No you can't, you're just feeling invincible because you're drunk." She shook her head, turning back on her side. "You can't and it's okay, I've accepted it. I love you either way."_

_Knowing there was nothing he could say that would change her mind, he surrendered and laid down on his pillow, draping his arm over her waist, placing his chin against the back of her head, feeling her breathing even out as she fell asleep again. Without him even realizing it, he started tracing circles around her belly button, feeling her flat stomach, knowing it would start expanding in just a matter of weeks, and it made his heart warm. She'd soon have his child in her arms and he couldn't wait until she knew, until he'd convinced her that , she would live her dream. He'd make it come true, he'd let her have it, and he wouldn't hurt that child by making it go away._

"_It's okay. Daddy's here."_

"It's okay. Daddy's here."

He pried Liam's clawing fists from his shirt and placed him down on the bed as Elena held the covers back. Once Liam let go, he tucked his son in and sat down next to him, watching Elena give him one last glance before she disappeared out of the room, leaving him to stroke Liam's hair as his eyes fluttered shut. He didn't deserve this, he knew that. He'd seen the accusing look in Elena's eyes; because he'd known for five years, and he hadn't bothered to come back, she had every right to blame him and yet he didn't want to be blamed. He wanted to be accepted, he wanted to take his place in this family and be a father.

"What's your plan, superman?"

"Don't sneak up on me like that." He took a deep breath, relaxing again. "What do you mean, mom?"

"Are you going to let her kick you out and make your life miserable again?" Lauren crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the doorpost. "Or are you actually going to stay and fight?"

"She wants me out. She hasn't told me yet but I can see it in her eyes." He turned his head over his shoulder, blue on blue. "I can't force her to let me stay."

"Let me tell you one thing," Lauren stepped forward, pointing a finger at him. "If you dare go back to Chicago and leave your son behind, then I'll be the one making your life a livinghell. You've spent the last five years of your life trying to prove you're nothing like Giuseppe. Here's your shot, take it."

"I wasn't in his life for five years." He spoke through clenched teeth, eyes wide. "So how does that make me any better than Giuseppe?"

"Vermont."

"What does Vermont have to do with any of this?"

"When he got a ruptured appendix, you flew to Vermont." Lauren pointed her eyes at Liam who was peacefully asleep. "You got a ruptured appendix too when you were seven, do you remember?"

"It was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced." He rolled his eyes, looking back at his son. "Of course I remember."

"I thought I was going to lose you, and when a parent is desperate, we do desperate things." She whispered, her eyes filling up. "I called Giuseppe, thinking he'd share my grief at the possibility of losing a son. You'd think, as your father, he'd care. But he didn't come, he didn't sit next to your bed for three nights, and that's what makes you different."

"It doesn't change anything."

"Maybe the fact that you called Grayson every week to check in on them does." Lauren gave him a knowing look. "Yes, I know. For the past five years, you've done everything to stay a part of their lives. You kept going to therapy hoping that someday you'd have your son back, and when that day came you wanted to be ready to be his father. You're ready Damon. Don't let her take that chance away from you."

"I don't know what to do."

"How about getting your ass out of that bed and go talk to her?" Lauren smiled smugly, arching her eyebrow at him. "And don't let her out of the room until she agrees to let you stay."

"Sometimes you scare the shit out of me." He got up from the bed and walked towards her, leaving a kiss on her cheek. "But I love you."

"I love you too, my boy."

He walked out of the room and crossed the hallway, passing by Grayson's room, finding the old man softly snoring. The door of the guest bedroom stood ajar, and when he pushed it open, he found Elena sitting on the edge of the bed, her back towards him, gazing off into the distance. And in that moment he knew he couldn't go. They loved each other too much to let one another go, and no matter how stubborn they both were, there would be one thing they'd always agree on - they belonged together. When they'd been apart, it had nearly killed them both, and now they were standing on the verge of being separated again and this time it wasn't a marriage or an unforeseen fact between them. They were standing in the way of their own happiness.

"You can kick me out," he leaned against the wall, looking at her back. "But I'm not going anywhere."

"I know." She whispered, looking at her lap. "I've thought about throwing you out all day,but then I saw you at the hospital with Liam and I realized I couldn't separate you two, so we have to figure this out and you have to tell me the truth about everything that has happened the past five years."

"Okay, let's start five years ago." He approached the bed and sat on the other side, watching the back of her head. "Five years ago, Grayson stood on my doorstep in the middle of the night and told me my son had been born. He gave me the birth certificate and asked me to sign it, because you told him you didn't want Liam to be Stefan's."

"That doesn't explain why he slept on your chest."

"I came back. I told Grayson that I wouldn't sign the certificate before I'd seen my son, so we took the first flight back here." He wetted his lips, taking a deep breath. "He wasn't the only one that slept in my arms that night Elena."

Her head jerked around, her lips parted, her eyes spread open as she looked at him in disbelief, her brown gaze watering up. He'd never known how much she'd wanted him there, how she'd screamed for him while she gave birth to their son, how she'd pretended to have him there to get through the pain. Only now, it turned out he'd been there, he'd held their son, he'd held her, he'd been with them, and the worst part of all- he'd left them again.

"I came into your room and you were exhausted from the delivery, so I laid down beside you and you curled up to my side like you had always done." He watched her turn her head away from him again. "Do you know what it does to a man to hold the mother of his child? It connects you in a way you never thought possible."

"And still you left again."

"Not forever." He saw her gaze widen again, her head spinning. "During a ski-trip to Vermont when Liam was three, he got a ruptured appendix and had an operation. At night, you were forced to leave his side by that fat nurse with her creepy eye on the left side. But being a heart surgeon has certain benefits, so I sat next to him for three night until he was released again."

"How did you know?" Tears were streaming down her cheeks now. "How did you know he had to go through surgery?"

"Grayson called me." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I kept in touch with him after you left, to check-up on you and Liam. He told me everything, except about your miscarriage."

"It wasn't any of your business."

"That's probably what he thought too."

"Why did you come back now?" She fixed her gaze back on the wall in front of her. "If you've known for five years, why now?"

"When I figured out you were pregnant, I went into therapy to deal with…my issues." He dragged the words out. "My therapist was the one who told me I was ready to come look for you and Liam."

"Do you regret having him?" She whispered, looking back at her hands in her lap. "Do you wish I'd had an abortion?"

"No." He placed his hand on her arm. "You had to become pregnant before I realized I wanted you to be. You had to have Liam before I realized I wanted to be a father. I couldn't push you into an abortion, because it would have ruined the both of us."

"You had no problem doing it with Katherine."

* * *

><p><strong>Please leave a review with your thoughts!<strong>


	21. The End Where I Begin

Three more chapters before this story ends. Pfiew, and it's already been such a ride :P Anyway, thank you **LaylaReyne** for betaing, as always she did a fabulous job.

* * *

><p><strong>Someone like you<strong>

Chapter 21

'The End Where I Begin'

"_You must be the new toy."_

_Elena's eyes wandered over the woman's body and her long black silk hair, carefully curled and kept. Her face consisted of high cheekbones and a small nose that led the way to her perfectly formed lips. She was wearing make-up, but it was applied in such a way that it seemed natural for her to have such long dark eyelashes and full pink lips. The black high heels on her feet made her legs appear longer and the dress that hugged her body cost more than Elena would earn in a month. This woman looked like she'd just stepped out of a catalogue and not some random catalogue, but rather the one that was going around for Victoria's Secret, and it was obvious that she was used to luxury like a model. She started tapping her foot impatiently as Elena examined her, her perfect mouth pressed together in an annoyed pout and her eyebrow arched to question Elena's mental state._

"_I'm sorry." Elena shook herself out of her daze. "How can I help you?"_

"_I'm looking for Damon."_

"_He's in the kitchen." She smiled and opened the door further. "Come on in."_

_The woman walked past without giving her a second glance, as if she knew the place and owned it in some kind of way. Elena felt like she was the guest as she followed her into the living room where Damon and Lauren were laughing and teasing one another with the whipped cream they'd just made for Lauren's cake. Damon turned to her with a bright smile on his face, his blue eyes shimmering, but then he noticed the other presence in the room and that smile faltered immediately. The emotions flashed across his face - anger, shock, disbelief - as if he was seeing a ghost, someone that had died years ago and had suddenly risen from the ashes. Lauren's face reflected much the same, only hers was dominated by anger. Whoever this woman was, and whatever she was here for, it was clear that she wasn't getting a friendly welcome._

"_Katherine."_

"_Hello, Damon." Katherine nodded harshly, eyeing Lauren with a mocking smile. "Lauren."_

"_Katherine." Lauren smiled tightly, throwing a towel on the marble counter. "I'd say it's a pleasure to see you again but I'd be lying."_

"_No need for pretences." Katherine's eyes narrowed and moved back to Damon. "I think we need to talk."_

"_Can I get you something to drink, Katherine?" Elena stepped forward, moving towards the kitchen. _

"_She doesn't want anything." Damon grabbed her arm as she moved to the refrigerator. "She's leaving."_

"_Now Damon," Katherine cocked her head to the side and smirked. "That's no way to treat your wife."_

_The floor fell from beneath her feet the second those words left Katherine's mouth; her body started shaking, her head spinning, her emotions swirling, and she didn't know what to feel first or last. Damon's eyes searched for hers, the panic from earlier in them again but for completely different reasons now, because she'd figured something out he'd never wanted her to know. He'd have kept her clueless about this part of his past for the rest of their lives together, and it made her stomach turn. Lauren's eyes met hers too as her gaze became clouded by the tears that threatened to escape, and the older woman's face was suddenly clear of anger, only pity and sorrow there now. Pity because she'd acted as if they were best friends, but she'd never told her about her son's secret, knowing he wanted to keep it from her. Sorrow because she knew what was coming next and that it wouldn't go over easily; every one of them would get hurt, their hearts would be shattered, her soul would be crushed and she would never again trust Damon like she once had._

"_Wife?" she spit out, her eyes boring into Damon's. "Your wife?"_

"_You really kept her clueless, didn't you?" Katherine put a hand on her hip, snickering. "Oh poor thing, she probably thinks she's in love with you, but she has no clue who the real you is, does she?"_

"_Katherine, get out of my house!" Damon yelled, and it made her want to run even more. "You got what you wanted, you had your fun, now get the hell out of here!"_

"_To be honest, I was shocked to find out you finally filed for divorce after two years. I rather enjoyed living off your money." Katherine pointed her chin towards Elena, her eyes burning into the ring on her hand. "But then I figured out why you're suddenly in such a rush."_

_Without even realizing it, she removed the ring off her finger and threw it on the counter, causing Damon and Lauren to jump up and Katherine to laugh. She wanted to run, moved to do so, but Damon's arms wrapped around her, holding her there and fighting against her punches and wordless screams. Lauren watched the spectacle with teary eyes, seeing her son fight for what he loved so dearly and the girl she had come to care for as a daughter hurt and betrayed in the worst way possible. _

"_You thought he was it, didn't you?" Katherine made her stop struggling, drawing her attention. "I thought so too. I thought I could fix him, but even when the white picket fence was shoved into his face, he couldn't deal with it."_

"_What did you do?" She looked up into Damon's tortured expression, turning to Katherine. "What did he do?"_

"_I told him I was pregnant, and he picked up the phone, called the clinic, drove me there and held my hand as we sat in the waiting room," Katherine replied bitterly, throwing Damon an accusing look that hid so much pain. "We didn't even discuss the abortion. He just arranged it because having our baby wasn't an option."_

_Being crushed had never had such a literal meaning to her; she felt as if the earth was falling down on her, trying to push her to the ground in a puddle of the pieces that were once her. She threw her fists against Damon's chest once more and this time he was too weakened by Katherine's words to have the strength to hold her captive. Lauren's eyes fell on hers as she wiggled free from Damon, reflecting so much hurt that it made her cry even more as she ran out of the kitchen past Katherine and into the bedroom, throwing the door closed behind her. She threw the closet doors open and grabbed her suitcase from the bottom, throwing it on the bed as she pulled her clothes from the hangers and started packing them. _

"_Stop it."_

_Hands closed around her wrists, and she knew those hands all too well. She'd once vowed to spend the rest of her life with the man those hands belonged to, but now she'd been betrayed and she realized he was never the man she thought he was. She knew he was damaged, but she didn't know he was the biggest cause of that damage. He killed his child, and it was something she couldn't wrap her mind around because no man kills his own child. She thought she belonged with him, and as he pressed his chest against her back, it still felt that way, as if she'd been born to fit into the curve of his body. He'd been too perfect when she'd met him, and she realized later that indeed he wasn't perfect. He couldn't give her everything she wanted, but she accepted it, because even without fulfilling those dreams, he'd be a better match for her than any other man. She'd trusted him with everything, and in return she thought he'd shared his every thought with her too, but he'd had secrets, and those secrets were darker than she could have ever anticipated._

"_Don't touch me." She backed away from him, holding her hands up. "Is it true?"_

"_The abortion?" His voice was hoarse, an agonizing pain hiding behind that ocean of blue. "It's true."_

"_You killed your child."_

"_I thought I had no other choice." His mouth pressed into a hard line as he tried to keep his emotions in check. "We got married right out of high school and we agreed, no kids. I was in my first year of med school when she got pregnant, and it didn't make sense because she always told me she didn't want kids."_

"_Didn't it ever occur to you that she might have changed her mind when she got pregnant?" She clenched her hands into fists next to her sides. "She was your wife, you were supposed to love her and you made her get rid of your child."_

"_The day I met you I realized that I never loved Katherine like you're supposed to love your wife." He sighed, biting his bottom lip. "I was young, I made mistakes, and I knew if I told you, you'd run the other direction and I couldn't have you running away from me when you were everything I'd always wanted."_

"_You hid your marriage from me!" She buried her head in her hands, shaking it. "How could you not tell me you were married?"_

"_Because I'm only technically married. I didn't think it mattered, and I didn't even think about it until I proposed to you." He held his hands out in an attempt to touch her, but she backed away. "That's when I filed for divorce and that's why she barged in here, because I cut her off and she'll have to make her own money from now on."_

"_I can't stay with you."_

_The words hit him with the force of a bullet, but it was clear in her mind; he had killed his child, the child of the woman he was supposed to love, and he did it without even blinking. Even though she never wanted to be in that situation, if she ever got into it, she wanted him to choose their family, the baby that would be growing in her belly. She wouldn't do it on purpose but just like with Katherine, accidents happen and if such an accident happened to her, she would want nothing more than to live the dream she'd once had. But now with the facts laid out in front of her, it was as if her dream had been crushed the day Katherine had that abortion and got rid of Damon's child. _

"_Elena, we can do this." He sat down in front of her, squeezing her knees. "We can have babies."_

"_No, we can't." She clenched her teeth together, tears rolling over her cheeks. "Do you know what the worst part of all is? A few days ago you came home drunk and you said we can have babies, and I almost started hoping that somewhere inside of you, you really wanted them. But today I found out that you killed your own child and all that hope I had was crushed."_

_He wished he could tell her about the life that was growing inside of her - he truly wanted to - but every fiber in his body told him not to, because no matter what he said, no matter what he proved, she was leaving him and she was taking the baby she was unknowingly carrying with her. Telling her would give her all the more reason to go and never come back again; he knew she'd protect that child with her last breath. She wasn't Katherine, she'd never be, and she wouldn't let him drive her to a clinic and take care of it. She'd fight him all the way there and kill anyone that tried to take that child away from her. It's why he'd fallen for her, because she was strong-willed, she knew what she wanted and she would do everything in her power to get it. She knew she wanted a family before he even met her and she gave that up for him, but now she was going to have one eventhough she didn't know it yet, and he was sure she was going to fight like a lioness to keep it. _

"_Okay, okay." He wiped away the tear that escaped his eye, nodding. "I'll let you go."_

_He had to let her go for the both of them, because he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he took that dream away from her, and she wouldn't be able to live with him if he tried to take it from her. It felt different than when Katherine had been pregnant. He'd freaked out back then, rushing to the phone to make it disappear as quickly as it had come. But now he found comfort in knowing Elena would take their baby with her, the last reminder that she'd been his, the one piece of him that she'd always have. He'd let her take it with her and maybe someday when he had redeemed himself, he wouldn't be a danger to his child anymore, and come that day, he'd fight to get them back._

"_For what it's worth," he whispered, locking his blue eyes with her brown ones for one last time, "I didn't love her like I love you."_

"I didn't love her like I love you." He squeezed her arm again, trying to pull her attention towards him. "Having a baby with Katherine seemed wrong. Having one with you felt right."

"It's not about who you have a baby with." She looked up and stared at the wall. "Whomever you have it with, that baby is also a part of you. That baby that Katherine was carrying, that was your flesh and blood too."

"I know that, and I'm not saying that what I did was right." He took a deep breath, blowing it out again. "But I won't say that I'd do it differently now either."

"And that's what I can't accept." She laughed humourlessly. "You can make mistakes but you have to regret them."

"Maybe I don't see it as a mistake but as a lesson." He fixed his eyes on the back of her head, shaking his own. "Look, it's late, we can talk more tomorrow. I'll sleep with Liam tonight."

"I told you I wouldn't kick you out." She turned her head over her shoulder to look at him. "You can sleep here but don't expect anything more than sleep. It might be a while before you gain those privileges back."

"I can live with that."

They shared a long look before Elena finally nodded and stood up to remove her tank top and jeans. She didn't bother to hide her body from him; he'd seen it all. And no matter how much she tried to convince herself he would never see it again, they both knew that within some time his hands would roam down her body again because every road led to him. Once she'd fooled herself into believing that he was a stop in the course of her life, only to realize later that he was the destination, and she'd taken a U-turn to end up back where she really belonged – with him. Once she had thought that running away from him was the solution, but to be honest, she'd rather stay and fight with him every second of every day than live a peaceful existence miles away from him.

She slipped the nightgown over her head and pulled her long curls out of the fabric, feeling Damon's eyes on her with every move she made. Somehow it still managed to make her skin tingle, even after all those mornings she'd been investigated by those orbs of blue while she dressed. It felt like they'd never left Chicago, because he was still there, stuck under her skin like no man had been before, and she was still mesmerized by the contours of his face. She'd once blamed her twenty-year-old self for falling under his spell, for letting the smirk and perfect features seduce her; truth was that almost six years later, she was still under that spell, bound to him without magic, but with a physical attraction stronger than most people ever encounter in their lifetime.

"Did you tuck Liam in?"

"Yeah," he whispered hoarsely, peeling his eyes off her body. "He's asleep."

"He knows he isn't supposed to run on the stairs, but he told me he heard us yelling." She stood next to the side of the bed, feeling like there was an ocean between them. "He hates it when we fight."

"I know."

"You shouldn't have told him that it was the reason we split up." She sat down on the mattress and went to lie down. "It's the reason why he's so scared when we fight. He thinks one of us is going to leave."

"Well, I'm sorry that he asked me a question." Damon rolled his eyes and pulled his shirt over his head. "And that I answered it honestly."

"He's a kid, sometimes you don't have to answer honestly." She stared up at the ceiling. "Sometimes you just have to lie to protect them."

"I won't lie to my kid." He pulled his belt out of the loops. "I'm not going to be the kind of parent that sugar-coats everything."

"Coming from a man who first hid his divorce, and then ignored his son for five years." She turned her head to meet his eyes, shrugging arrogantly. "And who knows what else he's still hiding."

"You wouldn't have given me a second look if you knew I was married." He threw the covers back on his side and got in while glaring at her. "You were too damn Catholic."

"I'm sorry that my mother raised me as a Catholic," she replied, raising her voice before mumbling under her breath, "If yours had, then maybe you'd have some values."

"Keep it up, Elena. You're going to turn out exactly like her." He plopped his head down in the pillow and sighed. "Poor Liam, he'll never get laid."

He heard her gasp before he realized he regretted his words. The wounds of her mother's passing were not only still too fresh to joke about it, but also you didn't offend a girl's mother without automatically insulting her too. She was nothing like her mother, he knew that all too well, but he knew from experience that comparing the two of them pissed her off. He used to do it all the time, but this time he'd crossed the line, as proven by the way her eyes widened and her lips parted. She searched for words but couldn't seem to find them, and if she weren't so pissed at him, he'd have thought it was a comical sight. Now, he was only scared that he'd lose his eyes at the hand of her claws.

"Mommy?" Liam pushed the door open, making their heads snap to him. "My arm hurts."

"Come here."

Saved by their son. He watched Liam crawl on the bed, finding his spot in Elena's arms, the ache apparently lessened immediately by her touch. It made his heart contract in his chest, seeing his son snuggle into his mother's chest, Elena's fingers running through his chestnut hair, whispering soothing words to him as she wrapped him firmly into her embrace. And for some reason he felt oddly out of place, because they'd managed five years without him, they'd been on their own, and they'd survived. For the first time he realized how Stefan had felt – like an outsider – as he watched the two of them, Elena distant because of the argument they'd just had and Liam seemingly oblivious to his presence because only a mother's touch can take away a child's pain.

"Elena?"

Grayson knocked on the door before pushing it open like Liam had done before him. He smiled softly as he found the three of them in the bed, Liam's eyes fluttering again. But even that small smile didn't hide the pain that was going on behind his eyes, the loss of Miranda still too fresh in his heart just as it was in Elena's. There was only the two of them now, left behind by the person that took care of them both, and they had to stand on their own two feet now. And he hadn't realized how much Elena had had to do the same when she left him until that very moment. She'd had to fight through it all alone, her support system not the one she wanted, not him, not like she planned on becoming a mother with him next to her side. He wasn't there to take care of her, to hold her while she cried, or to rub her swollen feet. He wasn't there through it all, and just like Miranda, he'd left an empty space behind.

"Stefan's here." Grayson stood in the doorway, his eyes burning into his daughter's. "He has the divorce papers, and he would like to see Liam."

"I'll be there in a minute."

Elena disentangled herself from a sleeping Liam, then got up and grabbed her robe from the chair in the corner, pulling it over her silk nightgown. She gave him a firm look and briefly checked on Liam before following her father out. As the door closed behind her, he turned on his side and found his son softly snoring. Quietly, he put his hand around Liam's arm and shook gently, waiting for the snoring to fade and those blue eyes to open. Liam's eyes opened slowly, locking onto his own blue ones.

"Are you awake?" He poked his son's arm, waiting for his eyes to focus. "I just need you awake for five seconds."

"Good daddies don't wake up their children."

"No parent is perfect," Damon smirked and then chuckled. "Besides, I'm still in the process of becoming a parent."

"Your five seconds are up."

"No. Wait." He poked Liam's arm once again and waited until the blue orbs re-appeared. "We need to have one of our talks, and this one can't wait ten years."

"Hurry." Liam yawned, his eyes struggling to stay open. "I want to sleep."

"Your mom and I aren't going to break up just because we had a fight," Damon whispered, watching Liam's eyes grow wider. "Neither one of us is going to leave, so you don't have to be scared. We're going to be fine, and we're always going to be right here with you."

"But you and Mommy always fight," he pouted, his eyes watering up. "You have to stop fighting."

"I know, and I'm working on it." He smiled, stroking his son's hair. "But even if we fight, we're not going to break up again, okay? So no more running down the stairs because we're yelling at each other."

"Okay."

"Go back to sleep." He placed a kiss on top of the chestnut hair. "I'm going to go check on your mom."

Liam nodded as he got up from the bed and looked for his shirt and jeans. He pulled them on and quietly pulled the door open, glancing once more over his shoulder and finding Liam already back in dreamland. Once he stepped out of the room, raised voices greeted him and his eyes detected Elena and Grayson at the end of the hallway in a heated conversation. Suddenly, Elena's eyes snapped to his, and she pressed her lips firmly together before she gave her father one last look and walked past him towards the stairs. He wanted to go after her, but before he could take the first step, Grayson's hand closed around his upper-arm, holding him back.

"Let her go."

"_Let her go."_

_He grabbed his mother's arm as she tried to get past him into the bedroom where Elena was packing her clothes. Not only did Elena seem to be having a hard time with this break-up, but his mother's blue eyes were also clouded with tears, red and puffy from crying as she'd heard them yelling at each another in the bedroom. He wanted to kill Katherine, it was the primary thought on his mind, and he knew he should blame himself for not speaking the truth, but pain makes a person more irrational than usual and he needed someone else to blame. The two women that meant the most to him were now broken, one shattered by what he'd done to her and the other crushed by what he'd asked of her. She didn't want to let her newfound daughter go. He could see in her eyes that she'd beg Elena to stay, to forgive his sorry ass. And maybe Elena's persistence would eventually falter, and she's let him back in, but he couldn't risk it. He couldn't risk keeping her here and be a danger to that baby she was carrying. He'd made up his mind. She had to go, and she had to go within the next ten second or else he'd throw himself at her feet and cling to her legs until she bent down and took him in her arms. It would be the end of them. _

"_What are you talking about?" Lauren shoved him, her blue eyes filled with a rage he couldn't understand. "She's packing her bags! She's going to leave if you don't do something about it!"_

"_You need to let her go!" He held his mother's arms in his grip, shaking her. "I can't explain to you why, but I need you to do this for me. Let her go."_

"_Do this for you?" she spat out, fighting against his hold. "I already did enough for you. You asked me not to tell her about Katherine, I thought it was because you'd tell her and you didn't want her to be reminded of it. But no, you hid it from her, and you made her dream about things you'd never give her."_

_At that exact time, the bedroom door was unlocked and thrown open. Elena strolled out of it, dragging the suitcase behind her and looking anywhere but at him because she'd fall apart if she did. His mother launched herself at her, wrapping her in her arms while Elena buried her face in the crook of her neck, gently sobbing there as his mother sobbed right along with her. And oh how he'd pay millions of dollars to just have those brown eyes on his one last time, or to stop his hands from itching like they were now, and just touch her, hold her in his embrace where she was safe and no one could get to her; no one but him. He told himself a thousand times that that's why she couldn't stay; he'd hurt her if she did, he'd panic like he'd done with Katherine and he'd drive her away from him for good. He had to let her go, so she could save herself and the child she was carrying, and he couldn't go after her. It was the promise he silently made. He'd let her have his child, he'd give her what she wanted, and he'd let her go so she could save them._

"_I'm so sorry," Lauren whispered into Elena's hair, hugging her tightly. "I'm so sorry this happened."_

"_My taxi is waiting." Elena pulled back, talking to Lauren only. "I have to go."_

_And being the coward he was, he turned away as she walked out the door. Seeing her walk through it would make it official, that she was leaving him and he let her go. She wouldn't be sleeping in his arms tonight, and she wouldn't be staring at him as he woke up in morning. Everything, the life, he wanted with her had just left through that door, and he was on his own again, doomed to be an eternal bachelor. Not even his mom could bear to look into his eyes at this moment. She stood in front of the window, watching Elena get into the taxi and drive away from everything she'd found there. _

"_Never before have I been embarrassed to call you my son." Lauren's hands grabbed the windowsill, her back still to him. "But it seems that even a mother's tolerance for her son has its limits."_

"_You don't understand." He shook his head, looking for the right words. "She couldn't stay."_

"_Explain to me why exactly." Lauren threw her hands in the air. "I get it that she'd dumped your ass, but what I don't get is why you let her go when just this morning you two were perfectly happy."_

"_I can't tell you."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because you'd never forgive me."_

"_Try me."_

"_Elena's pregnant."_

_His mother's palm left a sting behind on his cheek, his head cocked to the side by the impact of it. He should have seen it coming. No mother has enough self-control to let her son make the same mistake twice without some sort of reprimand. She hadn't liked Katherine, but after she'd found out about the abortion, he'd gotten the silence treatment for months, at one point even slamming the door in his face. He could only guess what she'd do now that he'd hurt the girl she loved as much as he did, a girl she'd come to see as her own daughter instead of just a daughter-in-law. She'd never forgive him, it was written in her eyes. Not even a mother's love could forgive everything. _

"_Is that your game plan, Damon?" Lauren looked at him in agony, brutally mocking him. "Find a girl you like, knock her up and then take it from her so she never wants to see your face again." _

"_That's exactly why Elena couldn't stay here." He clenched his fists next to his side, his eyes tearing up. "I can't do that to her. She's not Katherine, I can't take that baby from her and I can't be a father. So either way, our relationship was over."_

"_You're an idiot." _

"_I'm Giuseppe's son!" He spoke through clenched teeth, shrugging. "I can't raise a kid. I'll panic and run away from it."_

"_You're not only Giuseppe's son, you're mine too." Lauren pointed to herself, eyes blazing. "I gave up everything for you, and I never regretted it. Giuseppe wanted to be part of your life, and I didn't let him, but he raised Stefan so don't you dare blame this on bad genes. He was never there for you and that scarred you. How can you do that to your own child?"_

"_He or she will thank me later." He turned to the couch and sat down. "At least this way that child will get to grow up."_

"_So you're never going to be part of its life?" Lauren shook her head and scoffed. "When are you going to realize that you're not Giuseppe? You're just acting like him."_

"_You don't get it!" He threw his hands up and stomped away. "She has to do this on her own."_

"She has to do this on her own."

Grayson held his arm, his eyes wide but soft, full of understanding. And for some reason that understanding dawned on him too; she'd stepped in this marriage alone, it was only fair that she stepped out of it alone too. Although some part of him said she'd never really been alone, because he'd been there, always. He'd been the one thing that separated a married couple, the one thing that held Elena back from having kids with Stefan. And after that, he'd been the reason why she'd never have any, until that plan was shot to hell.

"I take it you told her that you knew about Liam." Grayson eyed him humourlessly. "She isn't happy with either of us."

"I bet she isn't."

Elena chose that moment to come back up the stairs, holding the divorce papers in one hand and a pen in the other. Behind her walked Stefan, clearly uncomfortable now that he and Grayson were staring him down. Damon watched the former couple and couldn't imagine them belonging to one another. It seemed like Elena had always belong to him, that her hand was supposed to be in his and his ring around her finger. Surely she'd realized that when she stood in front of the Altar? He'd been by her side minutes before she'd said 'I do', practically walked her down the aisle; the image must have been picture perfect.

"I'd like to check on Liam," Stefan explained himself to them, shifting uncomfortably. "I heard about his arm. I'm glad he's okay."

"He's in our room." Elena nodded her head towards the door. "Come on."

"Don't wake him up." Damon's eyes bored into Stefan's. "He won't like that."

"You're not supposed to let them sleep with you." Stefan cleared his throat. "I read about it."

"Well, in ten years we'll be longing for the days that he slept with us and he won't want to anymore." Damon rolled his eyes and sighed. "Besides, no textbook applies to Liam."

"I couldn't get Damon out of my bed either." Lauren stepped into the hallway, wearing her robe. "Hello Stefan."

"You must be Lauren." Stefan extended his hand, nodding politely. "I heard a lot about you from Elena. It's nice meeting you."

"It's nice meeting you too."

Lauren's eyes travelled over Stefan's form, her face washed over with sadness as she saw what she'd been hurting for. Another son from the man she'd once loved, a man that didn't think her or her son worthy enough to stay with them. She'd thought that once she'd get to see that child, it would all make sense why he was better than her son. But now he was standing here in front of her, and he hadn't saved the world, he hadn't even saved somebody's life. It cut deeper than it ever had before. Maybe there was an angel hidden inside of him, maybe she couldn't see it but Giuseppe could, and that's why he'd gone back to Helen, because he knew she'd carry an angel after she'd conceived the devil.

"You look like your mother." Lauren smiled at Stefan, nodding. "You have her eyes."

"I hear that a lot," Stefan chuckled, blushing. "Did you know my mother?"

"I only met her once." She glanced at Damon and then back at Stefan. "It was a very long time ago."

"I'm sure it wasn't a pleasant time."

"Come on, I'll show you to Liam." Lauren changed the subject and led him into the bedroom. "He's way cuter when he's asleep."

Lauren closed the door after Stefan, giving Damon a pointed glare. Grayson coughed uncomfortably and turned around to his bedroom, closing the door behind them, leaving only Damon and Elena standing in the hallway. Damon's eyes slipped to the papers in her hand, knowing the meaning behind those papers. She wasn't necessarily his now, but she wasn't Stefan's anymore either. She was a free woman, to do as she pleased, to love who she pleased, and he could only hope that she would decide it was him, that she'd give him the chance to earn back what he'd lost.

"It's official now." She held the papers up, biting her bottom lip. "I'm divorced."

"I'm glad."

"Yeah, me too."

It was real now. They would have to figure things out and make decisions about their future, about their son's future. It scared and thrilled him at the same time, as he hadn't known he'd wanted to be on this path with her before he got here. He had a son and a wife, and this time he wouldn't screw it up, he wouldn't hurt her so she'd run away and take his son from him again. He'd chase her to the ends of the earth and bring her back in his arms where she belonged if that's what it took to keep his family together.

"What does this mean, Elena?" He took a step towards her, closing the distance between them. "What does this mean for us?"

"I don't know." She shook her head, smiling softly. "We have a lot of things to figure out."

"Stop fighting with me, Elena." He took another step, watching her pupils widen. "Stop fighting me."

"I'm scared to let you back in."

"I know." He cupped her cheek, placing his other hand on her heart. "But the thing is, I'm already in there."

He watched her strong mask falter, the pain making its way through and reflecting in her eyes. And she wanted to push him away, but at the same time she wanted to pull him against her and lose herself in him. He made the choice for her by placing his hands around her waist and picking her up, setting her down on the table behind them. Her hands sought his shoulders, feeling his muscles flex beneath her palms, and it made her think back on so many heated nights they'd shared. Just like then, she could feel the heat radiating off him now, the electricity sizzling in the air between them. Her ocean of blue was staring at her, watching her closely, ready to engulf her once she was ready to dive back in again. Her heart and head were at war, but somehow she knew her heart would win that battle; it always did. It was the very reason she'd moved to Chicago, because he was her heart.

"I love you so much," he whispered huskily into her neck, making shivers appear on her skin. "I'm never going to hurt you again."

Her head surrendered, moving her arms around his neck and bringing his lips to meet hers. With her ankles locked behind his waist, she brought him closer to her body, the front of his jeans pressing against her core through the silk material of her robe. Her fingers tangled into his hair as she met a fire that had been lit years ago, had endured storms, tornados, rain, lightening, thunder, had concurred everything, only to burn here again, with a flame brighter than ever. He claimed her lips, possessing the free woman she was now, making her his once again, and she'd never felt more his than in that moment, just as he'd never felt more hers. She slipped her palms under his shirt and met the abs under it, her fingers knowing the way between them, having memorized every line in them. He mimicked her movement and hitched her robe up, sneaking his arm beneath it, ignoring the pool between her legs and going straight for her breast, kneading it as she let go of his lips and reveled in the sensation.

"This was always the easy part, wasn't it?" Damon peppered kisses along her jaw line. "Just being like this."

"I'm afraid that the emotional part won't be so easy." She held his head in her hands, her lips inches from his. "I don't know where to start to make this alright again."

"First of all," he cocked his head to the side, grinning. "Stop moping."

"_Stop moping." _

_Caroline threw the door open, walking straight to the windows to pull the curtains aside and let the daylight into the room. Elena pulled the sheets over her head and buried her head back into the pillow, wishing for the dark that for some reason numbed the pain. In the daylight, she could see that empty space beside her, but in the dark she could pretend that there was someone there. She didn't feel the warmth that radiated from his body, nor the purring sound he made when he was about to fall asleep, and there was no arm draped around her waist, but she could imagine all those things as long as she didn't have to face the light. _

"_Close the curtains," she mumbled into the comforter around her. "I feel like I'm going to throw up."_

"_That's not because of the light, Elena." Caroline punched her fist above her on the sheets. "Get up! I let you mope in this bed for a week, but not anymore. It's time to stop smelling and living like a pig and get back out there."_

"_I am getting back out there." She threw the covers off her body and sat up. "I booked a plane ticket to Chicago, I'm going back."_

"_What?" Caroline threw her hands up, her blond curls bouncing. "After what he did to you?"_

"_I think I'm going to be more miserable here than with him." She fumbled with the covers and bit her bottom lip. "I just want to go back, Caroline. I've been in this bed for a week and all I can think about is, why did I run out of the door, why didn't I stay and fight?"_

"_Because he's a son of a bitch and he hurt you." Caroline put her hands on her hips. "Elena, you're going to be fine."_

"_Yeah, I will be." She made a move to get up from the bed. "Once I'm back in Chicago."_

_Caroline swallowed her words as she watched Elena get up, stumbling to stay upright and holding her stomach as the nausea hit her. Elena covered her mouth and ran into the bathroom, holding herself up above the toilet. She wanted to blame it on stress for being in here every morning for the past five days, but part of her knew it wasn't that, only that part was still in denial. Because if she admitted it to herself, then the plane ticket she booked wouldn't be used, and she wouldn't hold Damon in her arms tomorrow. She'd be stuck here, protecting that what she once wished for so desperately._

"_I got you a pregnancy test." Caroline came up behind her and handed her to box. "You can't have the flu for a week."_

"_I can." _

"_No," Caroline spoke firmly, crouching down beside her. "You don't puke in the morning and feel fine in the afternoon when you have the flu. Take the pregnancy test."_

"_I don't want to."_

"_Elena, I swear to god that I'll push on your bladder until you pee on the damn stick." Her blue eyes widened as she rattled. "Just take it, and if it's negative, then I'll get off your back."_

"_Fine!"_

_She pulled the box open and removed the cap from the stick, waiting for Caroline to step out of the bathroom. A dwarf was doing flip-flops in her belly as she sat down on the toilet and did her business, doubts filling her mind, wishes and dreams that she'd pushed back returning to the surface. And for some reason they were her nightmare now, because if she got this dream, she wouldn't get to live the other one, and the two warring possibilities were battling inside her. _

"_How's it going?" Caroline banged on the door, clearly impatient. "Do you need any help?"_

"_Do I need any help peeing?" Elena mused, raising her voice. "I've been doing this my whole life, I can handle it."_

_Her hand shook as she placed the stick on the counter and pulled her panties up again, so many emotions rushing through her that she didn't have the time to identify them. That stick was going to decide her future; she'd have Damon, or she'd have his child, and she didn't know which one she wanted more. In a perfect world, she'd have both. Damon would be sitting outside now and he'd be pacing in front of the door. But she didn't have Damon, she had Caroline opening the door and coming in to wait for the result. Caroline's certainty about what was going to come out of the test was so intimidating that Elena couldn't handle it, so she walked back into the bedroom and grabbed her suitcase, snatching her clothes from the shelves and dumping them in the suitcase. Maybe if she had her things packed before the two minutes were up, she would be out the door too, on the way to airport already, and she'd spend tomorrow in Damon's arms, blissfully unaware of what she already knew._

"_Elena…"_

"_I'm not pregnant."_

"_It's smiling." Caroline clasped a hand in front of her mouth as a sob escaped, holding the stick up. "Elena, you're pregnant."_

"_I'm not." She ignored Caroline's words and shook her head. "I can't be."_

"_Elena, you're pregnant."_

_Tears started streaming down her cheeks as she tried to shake the truth out of her head, out of her stomach. Her hands kept on moving, folding the clothes neatly before placing them in the suitcase. As long as she kept on going, she didn't have to think about what this meant, about what she was going to have to leave behind, and how she was going to have to live the past week for the rest of her life. She couldn't go back, she couldn't do what Katherine did, because she had longed for this too much and now it seemed like that wish was mocking her. _

"_I can't be." She fell to the ground, hugging her knees to her chest. "I can't be pregnant, Caroline. Damon doesn't... Damon doesn't want to have a baby. I can't be pregnant."_

"_You're going to be okay." Caroline crouched down in front of her, holding her shoulders. "Shh, you're going to have your baby, it's going to be okay." _

"_I can't do this on my own." She buried her head between her knees, shaking violently with sobs. "I can't raise a baby on my own."_

"_You don't have to." Caroline pried her fingers away from her knees and clasped them tightly in her own. "We're going to raise this baby with the two of us. We're going to raise this little princess and she's going to be loved so much."_

"_What if it's a boy?"_

"_Well, then we just have to pray that he doesn't take after Damon." Caroline smiled, a tear escaping her eye. "We're going to be fine, Elena. I promise you that you don't have to do this on your own."_

"_What's going on?"_

_Both their heads jerked to the door as Grayson hovered in it, his eyes focusing on Elena, watching her tremble as she hugged herself against the bed. Then they slipped to the suitcase on the bed, finding the closet shelves empty. He must have made the link, but Elena could see that he hadn't grasped the full story. He could only see his daughter moving back to Chicago, and a small smile played on his lips because secretly that's what he'd wanted her to do since she'd stormed in here and hid in the bed for days. He wanted her to get up again and get on a flight. The only question on his mind right now was why she was still sitting there, until his eyes fell on the pregnancy test that lay in front of his feet._

"_Oh, baby."_

"_Daddy."_

_Grayson fell on his knees in front of her and hugged her to his chest, pulling her head against him like he'd done when she was a little girl and had scratched her leg after falling from her bike. But he couldn't fix this scar with a hug and a kiss; her heart was scarred now, and there was no medicine on the market that would be able to heal the wound. So she sobbed it out, feeling Caroline rub her back while Grayson clung to her as if he needed the support just as much as she did. _

"_It's going to be okay." Grayson rocked her in his arms. "You don't have to do this alone, we'll all help you."_

"_You're not mad at me?"_

"_Honey, how could I ever be mad at you for making me a grandfather?" He took her head in his hands, water clouding his sight. "This is one of the best days of my life."_

_That only made her cry harder, hiding her face again in her father's chest, wanting to hide there from the world, from the life she had to say goodbye too. She'd be stuck here, raising what she'd once wanted to so desperately, but now the truth had slapped her in the face. She was going to be the mother of Damon's child, she'd be bound to him in the most intimate way possible, and yet she'd be separated from him for good now. Together, they'd bring a new life into this world, after it felt like he'd killed her. He'd broken her heart and put the cure for it in her belly._

"_I'm just going to make a quick phone call." Grayson placed a kiss on top of her head after he'd been holding her for what seemed like forever. "I'll be back in a second."_

_Elena, who'd finally stopped crying, nodded and let Caroline help her up to the bed. Grayson stepped back into the hallway as he watched Caroline tuck his daughter in. He rounded the corner and pulled his phone out of his pocket, feeling two sides fighting inside of him; one of pure happiness that he was going to be a grandfather, the other dark with grief for the pain his daughter was going through. He took a deep breath before putting the phone to his ear and waiting for it to be answered. _

"_Hello?"_

"_I know now why you let her go," Grayson whispered, nodding to himself. "You knew."_

"_Did she figure it out?"_

"_She did." _

"_Was she happy about it?" _

"_She was packing her bags to come back to you." Grayson let out a humourless laugh. "I don't think she was exactly happy to figure out that she can't now."_

_He heard Damon's sharp intake of breath and pressed his lips together because he could only imagine the pain that he was going through, the same pain his daughter was feeling. But this man had not only said goodbye to the love of his life, he'd let her walk out knowing that, most likely, he'd never see his child either. And it made Grayson want to curl up into a ball because he'd seen them together, the way those two completed one another, and he'd never thought that at some point they'd separate. But it all made sense now, why Damon had let her walk out, why he hadn't come after her. His daughter's pain finally had a reason. _

"_Take care of her," Damon breathed into the phone, clearly fighting his own emotions. "Take care of both of them."_

"_You know I will."_

"_Make sure they're happy." He sighed and swallowed. "Call me if there's anything."_

"_I will." Grayson nodded and blinked his eyes against the tears. "Goodbye, son."_

"_Bye, Dad."_

_Grayson composed himself again before he walked back towards the bedroom, finding Elena and Caroline spooning on the bed, Elena staring at the wall in front of her while Caroline hugged her from behind and stroked her arm. It made his heart clench seeing her like that, but at the same time he knew something that would make a smile come back to her face was on its way. She'd smile again once she held that baby in her arms, and it made him all the more determined to make sure she was ready to love that child. _

"_Okay, I've had enough of this." He grabbed the covers from the bed and pulled them off the ladies. "Time to stop moping." _

"_I'm not moping."_

"I'm not moping."

"You are," Damon chuckled against her lips, pecking them softly. "You've been spending too much time with Stefan."

"You're not funny."

"I beg to differ."

He launched himself at her neck, softly nibbling on the skin there, knowing from experience that it would make her giggle. And as he predicted, she started squirming beneath him, moans and laughs escaping her mouth. Without realizing it, she pulled him closer while she tried to fight him off, her legs tightening around his waist as she fought against him, her arms wrapping more securely around his neck. He chuckled as she surrendered and tipped her head back so he could access her throat and kiss her behind her ear, knowing she liked nothing better.

"I'm sorry for interrupting." Lauren closed the bedroom door behind her. "Next time I'll check the schedule for romps in the hallway."

"Mom..."

"Do carry on." Lauren waved her hands in the air, walking to the guest bedroom. "I wouldn't mind another grandchild."

"We'd have a whole football team if we let her get her way," Elena chuckled against his chin, biting it softly. "She always wanted a big family, she used to remind me of it every day."

"It's a shame that she won't have one."

"Damon..."

"It's okay." He tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear, smiling comfortingly. "I know you can't have kids, and it's okay, we don't need them."

"Do you want more?"

"No," he answered firmly, shaking his head. "I want you and Liam. That's all I want."

She smiled softly and he smiled right back, feeling that warmth again that had been missing for five years, that understanding they once shared and had been longing to find again. They finally were on the same page again and it brought an unknown comfort to both of them, because they knew they were going to spend to rest of their lives next to one another. They had issues to work out and they'd fight about things, but in the end he'd be next to her and she'd be the woman by his side, finally the place they'd both always wanted to be.

"Are you coming back to bed?" Elena held his waist, her legs still wrapped around it. "I'll kick Stefan out of there."

"Does this mean I have my privileges back?" He smirked cocky, waggling his eyebrows. "Because then, I suggest we throw Liam and Stefan out."

"Damon…" She wetted her lips, biting her bottom one softly. "I'm going to need some time."

"I know, it's okay." He placed one last kiss on her lips, lingering there. "Go to bed. My mom reminded me of something I have to do. I'll see you in the morning."

Her legs released him so she could jump of the table, squeezing his hand before she put her hand on the doorknob and pushed it open so he could see Stefan sitting on the bed next to Liam, stroking the boy's hair. Elena glanced at him and then closed the door again, leaving him standing there alone. He sighed and looked at the guest bedroom, quietly opening the door so a small amount of light hit the room and lit his mother's form on the bed. He closed the door behind him again and turned his back to the bed, letting himself fall on it.

"Damon!" Lauren started, sitting up on the mattress. "You know I hate it when you do that."

"That's why I did it."

"Well, congratulations." She slipped back under the covers and shoved him. "I'm writing you out of my will."

"Ah!" He jumped up as she pushed her cold feet against his warm legs. "You know I hate it when you do that."

"That's why I did it. That's why I had you, to warm my feet," Lauren mused and sighed contently. "My little radiator has become a big one."

"You make me feel so special."

"I'm your momma." Lauren squeezed his arm before rubbing it. "You'll always be special to me."

He scoffed softly and stared up at the ceiling, feeling his mother's blue eyes boring into the side of his face. After a while, he'd counted all the tiles above him and turned on his side, finding those blue eyes still watching him. It made him feel safe, like when he'd been a little boy and slept in his mother's arms; it made him feel treasured and wanted. But now at the age of thirty-five, it made him feel a bit uncomfortable too.

"What are you doing here?" Lauren asked, no judgement in her voice. "It looked like you and Elena were getting it on in the hallway."

"She needs time." He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "It's understandable, I guess."

"I guess so," Lauren shrugged and smiled. "I'm proud of you, Damon."

"I'm proud of you too, old lady," he smirked, ruffling his mom's gray hair. "For still breathing and all that."

"Get under the covers before I spank you." Lauren glared at him and made room for him on the mattress. "It's time for you to spend more time with me again because you've lost your manners."

He let out a loud laugh and kicked his jeans off, slipping under the covers as his mother held them up. She turned on her side and he threw his arm around her, remembering the days when he'd done this every night, searching comfort in this mother's arms like Liam had done this morning in Elena's. His mother's fingers ran up and down his arm as he snuggled his nose in the crook of her neck and felt the darkness close around him.

"I feel like I have to warn you that I'm not wearing any underwear."

"Mom!"

"I'm just kidding." She held his arm so he couldn't escape and burst out laughing. "You can check if you want to."

"Mom!"

"Don't be such a prude, Damon," she mocked and started circling his skin again with her fingers. "The first time you met me I wasn't wearing any underwear either."

"Do we really have to talk about this?" he growled, his cheeks flushing. "Why am I even sleeping here?"

"Because you like it."

"I would have never thought that I'd have a thing for an old lady."

"Oh?" Lauren feigned interest. "How did that happen?"

"Well, after I was born I met you." He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "And I kinda liked you."

"I kinda liked you too, kiddo." Lauren brought her hand to his cheek and patted it. "And I must say that you've grown up to be a big man, and I mean that in every place."

"That's it!" He let go of her and turned around on his other side. "No more hugging with you."

"I mean it! That must be the one good thing you got from Giuseppe." She turned around too and swung her arm around his middle, hugging him to her. "And you knew how to use it, besides you've never gotten gonorrhoea or any of that nasty stuff either. How many STD's did Alaric pick up?"

"All those that are treatable."

"Did you never share the condoms I gave you with him?"

"You're absolutely nuts, mom," he grumbled into his pillow, shaking his head from the embarrassment. "Go to sleep before I'm even more traumatized."

"I love you, my boy."

"I love you too."

She placed a kiss behind his ear and settled her cheek against his shoulder blade, hugging him tightly to her. He couldn't help but feel like a little kid as she started stroking his arm again, soothing him into sleep like she'd done every night until he'd been too stubborn to sleep with her any longer. Now he remembered again how Liam must feel, why he preferred his parents' bed over his own, because feeling that kind of cared for can only be provided by someone that loves you more than themselves, the love of a parent.

"Damon?" Lauren's fingers stilled as she whispered into his ear. "Did you tell Elena about what Giuseppe did?"

"Not yet."

* * *

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